Ambiguous Iraq Sovereignty with undefined IGC authority

Adnan Darwash
adnan_darwash@hotmail.com

What a way to baptise the approval of Iraq provisional constitution. The signing ceremony was delayed twice. In the first, scores have died in the holy cities of Karbala and Kadhimia. The second time was to address the concerns of Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani. But under pressure from Sultan Paul Bremer, the US-appointed Iraq Governing Council has finally met today 08.03.04 to endorse relevant documents stipulating, in theory, that Iraq will be democratic and federal; that observes the human rights of all its citizens. A series of speakers praised the occupying powers for freeing Iraq from a ruthless dictator and for their help in rebuilding Iraq. But the Americans and their Iraqi puppets are completely out of touch with the people. The people outside the meeting hall were unconvinced that the US will really hand power to Iraqis with or without election. They also see that the US is going ahead with constructing seven military bases and a huge embassy to house 30000 people. There is also a plan for Baghdad to become the centre for CIA-MI6-MOSSAD combined operations in the Middle East. To confirm people suspicion, none of IGC members dared to addresses the issue of drafting a time-table for sending the US forces home. In reality, the US wants an Iraqi face to its brutal occupation. In this regard, the US-paid Iraqi council must approve the presence US military bases in the country for an indefinite period of time. But according to most Iraqis no sovereignty or independence can be attained while the boots of foreign soldiers desecrate the sacred land of Iraq. Furthermore, the Americans give the impression that the role of future “democratically-elected” Iraqi governments will be limited to serving USraeli interests.
There is a huge gap developing between what the US is ready to offer and what the Iraqis are aiming at. This gap will create further frictions and violence. During the last 12 hours huge explosions were heard near or in the US-established green zone in Baghdad. The Iraqis need to see actions to return Iraq to Iraqis not just words that suit Bush election campaign.
Ironically, the Iraqis have been there before: During a visit to Baghdad in 1932, by British Mr Grine, a known Iraqi poet, Al-Rasafi, Wrote:
Mr Grine
Everything seems fine
From the outside we have everything
From the inside we own nothing