WP: Many Hurdles Ahead for U.S.

[kskiska]

Wednesday, June 2, 2004; Page A01

With the introduction of both a new Iraqi government and a new U.N. draft resolution, the Bush administration senses the beginning of the end to its controversial and costly intervention in Iraq. But the relief visible at the White House yesterday may be short-lived, for the United States still faces serious obstacles.

President Bush was almost giddily buoyant during a Rose Garden news conference about Iraq's interim government, heralding the 36 Iraqi appointees as "a team that possesses the talent, the commitment and the resolve to guide Iraq through the challenges that lie ahead." Not since the "Mission Accomplished" photograph aboard the USS Lincoln on May 1 last year, when Bush declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq, has the administration appeared as upbeat about the future.

(snip)

After weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, the messy selection of the interim government reflects the degree to which Washington had to turn to others -- the Iraqi Governing Council and the United Nations -- to meet its deadlines.

In addition, the new government has to win local support, despite strong U.S. and U.N. endorsements for including balance among ethnic and religious factions as well as between technocrats and politicians, and for including tribal leaders, women and many new faces. If it is rejected, the U.S.-led coalition has no fallback plan -- and the transition could be suddenly in jeopardy.

That is not beyond the realm of possibility, U.S. experts say. Because of the selection process and the strong U.S. ties of many in Iraq's interim government, "there is more of an appearance of legitimacy" than the government actually has, said Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It's not going to convince the Iraqi people as a whole, or certainly our more violent enemies."

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7912-2004Jun1.html

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

1. Anything that makes that

asshole "giddily buoyant" is sure to be bad news for the rest of us...
Since it is probably doomed to failure like everything else he has attempted...in life...

[struggle4progress]

2. I wish he had become buoyant enough to float away.

[Gloria]

3. Kick!

I posted two articles in the new WMW (link below) on the President and a VP...one Sunni, the other, a Shiite and the 3rd most popular figure in Iraq. Throw in our CIA PM and it's a heady mix. Then factor in the embedded US operatives in every ministry and the fact that Bremer pushed through changes to practically strip the Iraqis of any say in many areas........this could blow up, big-time.

[Kool Kitty]

4. Yeah, he was so "giddily buoyant"

(God help us) that he danced away from damn near every serious question. Why, he barely even knows Chalabi. Funny-he didn't know Ken Lay very well, either. Things that make you go hmmmm.....

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. OK, what is the purpose of this "news" piece.

It isn't news and it isn't an editorial. It is a pro bush message piece, written with the intent of informing the public of the terrific opportunities bush has to do great things now that he has solved the Iraq problem. The term "Upbeat" stinks of shit. It is the term bush used the night of the election in reference to how he felt about the race in Florida.