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Dear Yasser and list
Yasser's suggestion that the new programme for a transitional government was
a suggestion of the IGC is interesting and may well be right. I know Adnan
Pachachi, who seems to me a particularly interesting member of the IGC (the
website associated with him - http://www.iraqgroup.net/ - is an excellent
source of articles from a wide range of different points of view) has been
arguing for a radical expansion of the IGC. And the new proposals (given in
'Agreement on formation of Iraq's new government', posted to the list by
Andreas on 16th November) seem to answer the demand of Grand Ayatollah
Sistani for an elected body to prepare the new constitution.
However an Associated Press article recently posted to the list by Andreas -
'Shiite Criticizes Iraq Sovereignty Plan', 19th November, seems to suggest
otherwise. It quotes Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim as saying "The Iraqi people were
pushed aside and the Iraqi people should have an important role ... This
contradicts the principles of democracy" and "The situation is of concern
for all in the Governing Council ... Yesterday and the day before, it was
discussed and there's a consensus that this agreement was rushed. Such an
important matter as this needs thorough study before signing it."
So WAS it agreed unanimously?
It also seems to me odd that the Kurds would agree to it so easily, though
Talabani seems positively enthusiastic. Their main concern is establishing
the principle of a federal arrangement. The principle that the constitution
must be drafted 'by a body directly elected by the Iraqi people' seems to
put it into the hands of the Shi'i majority. Does this suggest that Talabani
has intimations that the Shi'i leadership would also favour a federal
arrangement (seems unlikely since Baghdad would presumably be out of the
'Shi'i' area)? Andreas also posted a Kurdish critique expressing doubts of
this order and reproaching Talabani for signing the greement (The US and
Iraqi Governing Council deny the Kurdish identity, 17 November 2003
KurdishMedia.com)
Peter
> From: "Yasser Alaskary" <ya1980@hotmail.com>
> Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 14:33:13 -0000
> To: "Peter Brooke" <pbrooke@ukonline.co.uk>, "ppg" <ppg@nyc.rr.com>, "Hassan"
> <hasseini@yahoo.com>, "CASI" <casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk>
> Subject: Re: [casi] Pentagon investigating bribes in Iraq
>
>> And how come the ICG has agreed so swiftly (and unanimously?) to its own
>> dissolution (as in the new arrangement agreed with astonishing speed after
>> Bremer's visit to Washington).
>
> the reason is that it was the IGC that came up with the plan and they sent
> bremer to washington to get agreement, the US administration then decided to
> spin the story as if the plan had originated from washington.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Brooke" <pbrooke@ukonline.co.uk>
> To: "ppg" <ppg@nyc.rr.com>; "Hassan" <hasseini@yahoo.com>; "CASI"
> <casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2003 9:04 AM
> Subject: Re: [casi] Pentagon investigating bribes in Iraq
>
>
>> Another thing that strikes me about this. UNSC Res 1511 declares that the
>> Iraqi Governing Council embodies the sovereignty of Iraq. Although 1511
> and
>> 1483 have given quite extraordinary powers to the Coalition Provisional
>> Authority (largely the power to dispose of money stolen ('frozen') from
> the
>> Iraqi government), the CPA is still legally no more than an occupying
> power.
>> This surely means that the CPA derives any authority it might have in
>> international law from the ICG and not vice versa. So how can 'the
> Pentagon'
>> (of all bodies) judge the IGC?
>>
>> And how come the ICG has agreed so swiftly (and unanimously?) to its own
>> dissolution (as in the new arrangement agreed with astonishing speed after
>> Bremer's visit to Washington). These new arrangements also absolve the ICG
>> of the obligation to make arrangements for a new constitution - an
>> obligation imposed upon it by UNSC 1511. So what do our international
>> lawyers have to say about that?
>>
>> Peter
>>
>>> From: "ppg" <ppg@nyc.rr.com>
>>> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2003 13:47:17 -0500
>>> To: "Hassan" <hasseini@yahoo.com>, "CASI"
> <casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk>
>>> Subject: Re: [casi] Pentagon investigating bribes in Iraq
>>>
>>> This sounds VERY fishy.. Is US trying to squeeze local bidders out of
>>> lucrative contracts by accusations of "corruption"?
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Hassan" <hasseini@yahoo.com>
>>> To: "CASI" <casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk>
>>> Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 12:13 PM
>>> Subject: [casi] Pentagon investigating bribes in Iraq
>>>
>>>
>>>>
> http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?StoryId=Cp77TueidAxjHCs1ICMLIzxm
>>>>
>>>> Pentagon investigating bribes in Iraq
>>>>
>>>> UPI - Saturday, November 22, 2003
>>>>
>>>> Date: Saturday, November 22, 2003 11:33:33 AM EST
>>>>
>>>> WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- The Pentagon is
>>>> investigating bribery allegations against two members
>>>> of Iraq's Coalition Provisional Authority and Iraq's
>>>> communications minister.
>>>>
>>>> The Financial Times Saturday quoted sources saying the
>>>> investigation involves lucrative licenses to build and
>>>> operate mobile phone networks in Iraq that were
>>>> granted last month to a consortium of Orascom Iraq,
>>>> Asia Cell and Atheer.
>>>>
>>>> The sources said the Pentagon's inspector general
>>>> began an investigation into the Orascom contract,
>>>> partly because of allegations from a rival bidder that
>>>> failed to win one of the licenses, the Times said.
>>>>
>>>> Communications Minister Haider al-Abadi said he could
>>>> not have influenced the licenses because he was
>>>> appointed to his post after a CPA selection committee
>>>> made their recommendation.
>>>>
>>>> Ala al-Khawaja, a partner in the Orascom-led
>>>> consortium, has also denied taking bribes, the Times
>>>> said. Orascom has also denied any wrongdoing.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Copyright 2003 by United Press International.
>>>> All rights reserved.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
>>> To unsubscribe, visit
> http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss
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>>> All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
>> To unsubscribe, visit
> http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss
>> To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk
>> All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk
>>
>
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