The street speaks - Iraq's UN-backed government is made up of CIA pawns

[CShine]

Iraqis are highly sceptical that the US occupation will, as promised, end on 30 June and predict worse fighting to come if real power is not handed over. "I don't believe there will be a transfer of power," said Ali Hashimi, a computer accessories salesman. "It is just a show for the international community."

There was no echo yesterday on the streets of Baghdad of the optimism on display in New York as the UN Security Council voted unanimously to endorse a sovereign Iraqi government. Few people expected a reduction in violence and many said they feared it would get worse.

"We Iraqis are rejecting this decision because it will turn Iraq back to the British occupation period," said Haidar Mahmoud, a shopkeeper. "At that time there was an Iraqi government but it was just a puppet."

Iraqis from both the Shia and Sunni communities repeatedly said that they longed for the violence to end but they not believe that the US would hand over real power. The US will keep 138,000 troops in Iraq after handover. Many Iraqis said that the new interim government just appointed was not representative of them. Bassam Najam, a middle-aged driver, said: "In one sense the Americans are transferring power but only to their own agents. The new government are all pawns of the CIA."

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=529920

[Jacobin]

1. The U. S. is fooling No One, except Bush's base and a portion

of Middle America that is more comfortable thinking "we gave them their country back, we don't conquer and steal and plunder, they should be thanking us".

No one else believes Iraq is sovereign. No One

[Ms. Clio]

3. The Iraqis are saying, fool me once...fool me....

Won't get fooled again.

[cosmicone]

2. Assassinations are lined up...

I think Ayatollah Al Sistani would be assassinated first and then all hell will break loose.

The next will be the ministers in this sham government -- perhaps the head puppet Allawi himself.

Allawi won't last a day if the American troops were withdrawn.

I think it is going to backfire. Americans don't like roller-coaster rides.

Just when Dubya makes them think all is well and just when they breathe a sigh of relief, BOOM! it is all going to explode again and the next time, people will be far less tolerant and forgiving.

[lostnfound]

4. The front page of the London Financial Times called Allawi a CIA guy

in their first announcement that he was selected..that's how they identified him in their headline.