September 26, 2003
CARRY ON, OUR WAYWARD SONS:
On this day, Iraqi leaders display united front: As US plays role of skeptical parent, Iraqi Governing Council doesn't want to look like 25 James Deans. (Howard LaFranchi, 9/26/03, CS Monitor)
It happens in every family: The kids want to strike out on their own, and the folks want to keep them under their wing a little bit longer.Something like that breaking-away process is happening between the United States and Iraq's new leaders - some of them formerly exiled Iraqis the US nurtured and then installed in the interim Iraqi Governing Council.
The keepers of an ancient civilization may take offense at the parent-child analogy. But it nevertheless comes to mind as members of the US-appointed IGC - the learner's permit of what would be the world's newest democracy - make the rounds in New York at the United Nations and in Washington.
The group was sounding much more rebellious a few days ago, but by a press conference Wednesday at the UN, all talk of impatience or dispute with the power paying the bills was silenced - or at least on hold. [...]
Chalabi appeared at the packed press conference with two IGC colleagues: Hoshyar Zebari, who holds the council's rotating foreign-minister slot, and Adnan Pachachi, a former UN envoy and Sunni Muslim representative on the council. Mr. Pachachi said he thought completing a constitution by May is realistic, while Mr. Zebari spoke in terms of an ideal full turnover of sovereignty within a year.
Memorial Day 2004 has always seemed like the most probable goal, though earlier would likely have been better.
MORE:
-Powell Gives Iraq 6 Months to Write New Constitution (STEVEN R. WEISMAN, 9/26/03, NY Times)
How about a finalization ceremony on August 9th, 2004?
Posted by: Andrew X at September 26, 2003 9:44 AMDon't you mean April 9th? It would be an appropriate time, especially if Colin Powell, Tommy Franks, and maybe even Bush (don't know if would be a good idea for him to go) were to dedicate some type of memorial in Baghdad to all the people of Iraq who suffered under tyranny and those who suffered in the war as the tyrant was depsoed.
Posted by: jim hamlen at September 26, 2003 11:41 AMJim - good idea. They can mark the 1yr anniversary and point out all that's been accomplished is such a short time. I know the Dems and others are complaining about how long Iraq is taking but when normal folk like see my local govt not able to get simple projects done in years the average American won't think 1 year was too long.
Posted by: AWW at September 26, 2003 12:16 PMAt the same time, SCIRI at least is saying that it'll take at least another year to write an Iraqi constitution, rather than the 6-month deadline the US is floating. I'm not sure I'm pleased that the groups with militias and power in the provisional council are holding this up - though not surprised - and am unsure how the US ought to handle it.
Or to take a suggestion from Jay Leno's monologue: "They should just take our constitution. It works great and we aren't using it."
Posted by: Mike Earl at September 26, 2003 12:48 PMBut that would require going into John Ashcroft's basement and pulling the Constitution out of the lockbox he has been hiding it in. Maybe Leahy and Kennedy and Specter could do it - sort of like a boarding party.
Posted by: jim hamlen at September 26, 2003 2:50 PM