Shiite Cleric's Aide Brands Iraq Power Transfer a Bush Election Stunt

[papau]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAUFOSPIPD.html

Shiite Cleric's Aide Brands Iraq Power Transfer a Bush Election Stunt; Bomb Kills Boy
By Matthew Rosenberg Associated Press Writer

BASRA, Iraq (AP) - An aide to Iraq's most prominent Shiite cleric on Friday branded the U.S. formula for transferring power a "hasty agreement" aimed at boosting President Bush's re-election campaign.
Doubts over the American plan for transferring power to Iraqi hands by July 1 have loomed over the U.S.-led occupation this week, with the Americans pointing to sporadic violence as evidence the country is not ready for direct elections....Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, the country's most influential Shiite Muslim leader, has demanded that members of a new provisional legislature be chosen by voters. The Americans want them selected by regional caucuses.

U.S. officials insist al-Sistani's demand for elections is unfeasible given Iraq's security situation. Many Shiites suspect the Americans simply want to manipulate the caucuses to make sure favored Iraqis win seats.

In Washington, the White House said Friday it would consider proposals "to refine or improve" the plan but insisted the United States was sticking with the framework of the agreement calling for an unelected, temporary government by July 1. <snip>

A day after the demonstration, al-Sistani's representative in Basra sent a letter to Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair questioning the sincerity of the power transfer plan. "Many political analysts are saying that the purpose of the hasty agreement ... was propaganda for your re-election campaign, especially after what your country has suffered because of military losses in Iraq," the letter by cleric Ali Abdul Hakim al-Safi said.
"All we are looking for and want is that our rights not be ignored and the rights of others not be ignored," the letter added. "We know that all the excuses you used to hinder the elections are not based in reality." It said al-Sistani's election demand "represents the aspiration of the Iraqi people without distinguishing between different sectors and nationalities, because everybody is a son of Iraq and they are all equal."

Mohammed Baqir al-Mehri, al-Sistani's representative in Kuwait, warned on Abu Dhabi television Thursday that al-Sistani would issue a fatwa, or religious edict, declaring the U.S. plan illegitimate if the Americans refuse his demand. <snip>

[Snappy]

1. Puppet Govt.

The Iraqis know that the US regime wants a US controlled Govt. in Iraq and the agenda is to dominate the realestate of Iraq and the oil. Seems to me that the US presence will be in Iraq for years to come to make sure that Iraqis have the boot on their neck. The whole pupose of the war was a realestate grab for the Multi-corps to establish bunsiness. The Liberation of Iraq is a farce.

[lovedems]

2. As long as there's a puppet government, Halliburton gets richer.

I don't think that is a surprise to anyone. The rethuglicans are going to do what they have a history of doing, use a region and/or their leaders until they are of no use to them anymore and then turn their backs on them or start a war with them. Why do they get credit for good foreign relations?

[leftchick]

3. You have to admire the average Iraqi's view of the situation....

They can recognize a fraud when they see one. Too bad the average Murican can not. I saw Bremer's news conferance today. He actually only answered about 4 questions (ala boosh*). He had no answer for why the June 30 deadline can't be moved. NONE!