UN's Brahimi Arrives in Iraq to Political Storm

[Barrett808]

UN's Brahimi Arrives in Iraq to Political Storm
By Khaled Yacoub Oweis

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi received a torrent of political abuse as he arrived in Iraq on Thursday on a complex mission to assemble an interim government to take back the country's sovereignty in less than two months.

Iraq's political parties stepped up criticism of the veteran diplomat, seen by Washington as crucial but seen by them as a threat to their chances of assuming substantial power after years spent fighting Saddam Hussein.

"The mechanism Brahimi is working on with the occupation authorities lacks credibility and fails to assess the situation in Iraq," said a statement signed by eight parties.

"The project violates the interim constitution and opens the way for the previous regime's men to return to power, leading to division and instability."

Faced with the prospect of a spectacular failure of its "New Iraq" project, the United Sates has turned to Brahimi to shape Iraq's political system due to be installed when the United States hands power to a new Iraqi government on June 30.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040506/wl_nm/iraq_brahimi_dc&cid=574&ncid=1480

[saigon68]

1. U.S. Marines hand weapons to members of the 'Fallujah Brigade'

U.S. Marines hand weapons to members of the 'Fallujah Brigade', soldiers of the former Iraqi army, at the entrance of Fallujah, 37 miles, (60 kms) west of Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites), Thursday, May 6, 2004. (AP Photo/Mohammed Uraibi)

[calimary]

2. Man, we've reached the point where "Miserable Failure" has been

pushed aside - for "spectacular failure."

SPECTACULAR failure.

I'm with Josh Marshall - "I can't think of anything to say."