WE'RE JUST THEIR HESSIANS:

Iraq officials flex 'independence' muscles (Beth Potter, 8/7/2004, UPI)

Top Iraqi interim government officials are finally asserting their authority against American advisers believed to be pulling the strings in behind-the scenes negotiations.

First, the interim government approved an emergency martial law, which was announced but has not yet been implemented. Saturday, leaders announced they would give amnesty to fighters who turn in their weapons and go back to civilian life. [...]

U.S. advisers were nowhere in sight during Allawi's amnesty announcement. It was planned that way, said a U.S. adviser close to U.S. Ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte on condition that he not be named. Since the transfer of power to Iraqis, U.S. administrators have been virtually out of sight in the "green zone," a heavily fortified two kilometers in central Baghdad where thousands of Americans live.

The low-profile approach allows Iraq residents to start gaining trust in the new government, the adviser said. Negroponte may talk to Allawi often, sometimes two or three times per day either by telephone or in person, but he certainly doesn't call the shots, the adviser said.

"Negroponte has a lot of influence, but he can't dictate to them," the adviser said of the new leaders. "Allawi is no shrinking violet. They are beginning to feel comfortable in their positions since the handover of sovereignty."

Leftwing paranoia about a fake handover was inevitable, but a surprising number on the Right fooled themselves into believing that we'd basically be running the show for years.

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 7, 2004 11:54 PM