Occupation Over

U.S. turns control over to interim Iraqi government

June 29, 2004|By KRT.

The U.S. officially ended its occupation of Iraq on Monday, handing sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government during a hastily arranged, five-minute ceremony that came two days ahead of schedule to foil any insurgent plans to mar the transfer of power with attacks.

It remained to be seen, however, how much power has shifted to the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. Nearly 160,000 U.S.-led coalition troops will remain in the country as the guarantors of security, and about 150 American, British and other Western advisers will remain scattered among the government's ministries.

FOR THE RECORD - Following a style change in July 2004, the Chicago Tribune style on interim Prime Minister Allawi's name is "Ayad Allawi."

Allawi's toughest task may be convincing his countrymen that he and his government, not the Americans, are in charge.

If he can do that, U.S. and Iraqi officials believe, more Iraqis will turn against the Saddam Hussein die-hards, foreign terrorists and Islamic militants who are attacking foreigners and their Iraqi allies. Quelling the violence, they think, will bolster the new government's authority and give it a chance to begin solving Iraq's economic problems, which will bring Allawi even greater public support and pave the way for elections for a democratic government in January.

The insurgents, however, are expected to step up their attacks in an effort to assassinate Allawi and other members of his government, highlight his dependence on America, discredit the fledgling Iraqi security forces and fuel even greater public frustration with the lack of security.

Monday, though, was a victory for Allawi and the U.S.

"This is what we all need," said Baghdad resident Mohammed Sadeq, 23, a laborer who'd stopped at a roadside melon stand. "Iraqis understand each other better than Americans."

Devoid of pageantry, the handover ceremony deep in the heavily fortified military base known as the Green Zone wasn't broadcast live on television, and it was over before ordinary Iraqis became aware of it.

Most Iraqis learned that the transfer had taken place only when the new government was sworn in a few hours later in a televised ceremony. By that time, former U.S. administrator Paul Bremer was on a military transport plane out of the country. Incoming U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte arrived later in the day.

In interviews, several Iraqis expressed subdued gratification, but there was little of the sort of celebratory outbursts that greeted Saddam's capture in December.

At a NATO summit in Istanbul, Turkey, President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed the news of the transfer.

"The Iraqi people have their country back," Bush said. Of militants bent on violence, he said: "Their brutal attacks have not prevented Iraqi sovereignty, and they will not prevent Iraqi democracy."

Allawi vowed to restore order and hinted that he may impose martial law. But he's restricted by Iraq's temporary constitution, which includes civil rights guarantees. His government's long-term role is to steer the country toward free elections in January.

For many in this proud country, sovereignty is an important step.

"There is a big difference between yesterday and today," said Muwaffak al Rubaie, Allawi's national security adviser. "There is a difference between an occupied country with an occupying army ... and a free country with full sovereignty. Today, the Iraqis have become able to express their visions and views on how to reconstruct a unified democratic federal Iraq."

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"The Iraqi people have their country back."

--President Bush


--Iyad Allawi

interim prime minister

"I feel I'm still occupied. You can't find anywhere in the world people who would accept occupation. America these days is like death. Nobody can escape from it."

--Qassim al-Sabti, Baghdad artist

"Before us is a challenge and a burden, and we ask God almighty to give us the patience and guide us to take this country whose people deserves all goodness. May God protect Iraq and its citizens."

--Ghazi al-Yawer, Iraqi president

"This is an important step on the road back into the community of independent nations."

--Reijo Kemppinen

EU spokesman

"This was a day where the Iraqi people are turning to those young soldiers that have passed and looking back to them and saying, 'We'll carry the torch from this point forward. Your death will not have been in vain.'"

--Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt