17 Americans killed, Washington arranges authority transfer, occupation continues
Post Saddam Hussein Iraq has entered a new phase, politically and militarily, with the escalation of resistance against occupation. This was manifested in killing 17 American soldiers in downing to copters in Musil on Saturday and the announcement of steps to gradual authority transfer to the Iraqis but this does not mean the end of occupation of Iraq, according to statements by several American officials.
This coincided with the taped message of the toppled Iraqi President on the Arabya satellite station following a two-month absence, threatening the end of occupation and its collaborators, considering that the only solution is the departure of the "invaders " and the return back of the situation in Iraq to what it had been before the war on March 20. He implicitly proposed for the first time that he is the alternative which is able to deal with the special composition of Iraq.
However, as usual, it is not clear yet who is responsible for the escalation of resistance against the occupation which reached unprecedented level.
The attack which resulted in downing two helicopters took place in Musil, while the occupation forces hurried to make steps looming that it will give up its authorities to the Iraqis according to a schedule.
Meanwhile, an official in the coalition announced yesterday that Iraq's occupation will end on June 30, 2004, while the multi national forces led by the US will continue to stay in this country, "at the invitation of the Iraqis." However, the agreement of the US administrator of Iraq Paul Bremer which he had signed with the current President of the Interim Governing council Jalal Talibani defines stages that should occur until reaching a new government elected according to a new constitution before the end of 2005.
Al-Awan ( senior chieftains ) in all the 18 Iraqi governorates will select their representatives to take part in a provisional council that will carry out its role by electing a provisional government before the end of June 2004.
According to this agreement, the schedule agreed for authority transfer to the Iraqis by the end of 2005 is as follows:
End of February 2004: formulating a law for running the state for a provisional period including measures to elect a provisional council.
End of May 2004: electing the provisional council.
End of June 2004: The provisional council elects a provisional Iraqi government that practices the political authority and will be sovereign and internationally recognized, ending the state of occupation and solving the coalition authority, ending the role of the interim rule which was formed on July 13, 2003.
Before the end of 2005 forming an elected council directly by the people of Iraq.
End of 2005 electing a new government according to items of the new constitution.
An official in the coalition said "it is important to declare this change: the occupation will end of June, 2004 and should foreign forces stay in Iraq, it will b as from the first of July at the invitation of the Iraqis. He added the arrangements of occupation forces existence "might be similar to that between the US and each of Japan, Britain, and Germany or between the US and Saudi Arabia."