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News Analysis
By
Yasser Alaskary
September 29, 2003
- The
Governing Council, in a show of protest against two Arab
satellite news channels for inciting terrorist acts, bans
them from their meetings. Shot Governing Council
member, Akila Al-Hashimi, dies
following days in intensive care. The lack
of a young Iraqi (60% of Iraq's population is between
the ages of 18-35) in the Governing Council, added with
the weak representation of women and the now under representation
of Iraqi Shia would demand that a young, Shi'i Iraqi woman
fill the vacancy.
- Powell
suggests that Iraq's constitution be completed
in six months, which is still not quick enough
for the French. However, the Governing Council-appointed
Preliminary Constitutional Committee estimates the process
will require 12-18 months if it is to be done properly,
whilst Bremer
refuses to set a deadline. On a positive note,
Bush is set to let the UN monitor elections in Iraq, a
task they can do well. This week also saw the launch of
the IPO's Democracy
for Iraq campaign, which aims to gather financial
support for a political watchdog for Iraq's transition
period.
- Congress
members visit Iraq ahead of a vote on Bush's
request for $87 billion, as Bremer
lobbies hard for US funding for Iraq. Democrats
challenge $87 billion Iraq proposal, suggesting
it be made in loans, while anti-war
activists, looking to help Iraqis as always,
lobby Congress to withhold Iraq funds. The Iraq proposal
has been made all the more significant as many countries,
including Canada,
refuse
to pledge new Iraq aid.
- Following
a further
bomb blast at its headquarters in Baghdad,
the UN
pulls out of Iraq. This strengthens fears that
if the UN were in charge of reconstruction of Iraq, it
would be susceptible to retreating in response to terrorist
attacks, leaving Iraq at the mercy of Saddam loyalists.
- The
US claims it is speeding
up security handover as the border
patrol is transferred to Iraqis and US troops
work
with Iraqi police to seize weapons cache, however,
the process of training new police needs to be sped up
further. Control of the holy city of Najaf
is transferred to Spanish and Latin American
troops, in a bid to internationalise the forces in Iraq,
as only Japan
and Pakistan
agree to provide peacekeeping troops, forcing the US
to ready fresh troops for Iraq. Syria
has offered its troops, however with the majority of foreign
terrorists in Iraq originating from Syria, its 'troops'
have already caused substantial damage.
- Despite
the slow progress:
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