France, Germany Want a U.N. Resolution on Iraq

[Judi Lynn]

February 19, 2004

France, Germany Want a U.N. Resolution on Iraq
Such a vote on the world body's role there could lead to another showdown with the U.S.

By Paul Richter and Maggie Farley, Times Staff Writers
WASHINGTON — France and Germany said Wednesday that a new U.N. Security Council resolution on the world body's role in Iraq would be needed, prompting U.S. concerns about possible delays in reconstruction efforts and in the planned hand-over of sovereignty this summer.

The U.S. has been urging the United Nations to take a greater role in Iraq, but a new resolution may set up a new confrontation between the United States and two leading war opponents. The new complications arise as U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan prepares to issue recommendations on how a new Iraqi government should be selected.

Annan was expected to tell the Security Council today that direct elections were not possible before the scheduled June 30 power transfer but would be desirable by the end of the year. Additional recommendations based on a U.N. team's visit to Iraq this month are expected next week.

Bush administration officials said they feared that a debate over a new resolution could drag on long enough to force a postponement of the hand-over to a transitional Iraqi government. They also worry that it could provide the U.N. with enough leverage to force an overhaul of major infrastructure projects in the country, such as those for power plants and oil field redevelopment.
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-fg-iraqdiplo19feb19,1,5757125.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[Newsjock]

1. Translated to English

They also worry that it could provide the U.N. with enough leverage to force an overhaul of major infrastructure projects in the country

They also worry that it could prevent friends of Ahmed Chalabi from collecting more than $400 million in reconstruction contracts, and countless billions of dollars in such contracts for Halliburton Co.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Are you ready for this?

A lovely photo of Chalabi and pal, Trent! Suitable for framing!

(snip) Trent Lott is one of the country's most powerful elected figures. He is also one of the leading political figures promoting the Neo-Confederate cause—a movement rife with racism and other forms of bigotry and which claims membership in the tens of thousands. In the past Lott led the fight for tax breaks for Bob Jones University and other segregated schools and he was the leading advocate for the successful drive to reinstate the citizenship of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
(snip/...)

http://www.fair.org/press-releases/lott.html

[displacedtexan]

3. Further translation

The Bush* administration fears that UN interference at this point could jeopardize their re-selection efforts: by extending the need for US troops beyond June 30, 2004, Bush* officials would have to postpone the planned "War Is Over" photo ops, which could seriously damage the republican pResident's campaign.