Who has the ultimate authority in Iraq?

[Taz]

I encourage you to read this Reuters report in its entirety:

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L14678128.htm

So, when power was 'handed over' to the Iraqi's, just what power was that? Why is it that the Americans can do what they like without any risk of prosecution? Why is it that the Americans can use very general terms to detain Iraqi's without trial (something that Bush and Blair do to their own nationals with increasing regularity)?

What disturbs me most is that journalists who report things as they are (which may be detrimental to the coalition forces) are arrested without on charges like 'a danger to the Iraqi people'. They are then held without trial. The freedom of the press is paramount in situations like these.

[DaBeeeenster]

Just as well the Iraqi's have a free press. Oh, sorry I forgot, they don't.

[Taz]

Just as well the Iraqi's have a free press. Oh, sorry I forgot, they don't.

Unbelievable. Yet believable! However, I hear that Fox News is flourishing in Iraq with its 'fair and balanced' reporting...

[oralpain]

So, when power was 'handed over' to the Iraqi's, just what power was that?

Imaginary power.

Why is it that the Americans can do what they like without any risk of prosecution? Why is it that the Americans can use very general terms to detain Iraqi's without trial (something that Bush and Blair do to their own nationals with increasing regularity)?

Becasue might makes right and love or hate the USA, any sane person agrees it's military might (at least when it comes to blowing up stuff and killing people) has no peer.

What disturbs me most is that journalists who report things as they are (which may be detrimental to the coalition forces) are arrested without on charges like 'a danger to the Iraqi people'. They are then held without trial. The freedom of the press is paramount in situations like these.

I agree.

[FEAR]

all the US has given to the world is peanut butter, both the smooth and crunchy variety.

[Woodchuck2000]

Believe it or not, President Bush would rather not have any forces committed in Iraq right now. There is a democratically elected government forming which will has sovereign authority over the country. The only issue is that if America withdrew its forces right now, civil war would break out - not a good thing, I think everyone will agree. Once the Sunni insurgents have been brought under control I believe that the USA will leave the country to be run by its own people.

[BEANFro Elite]

I have a family friend in the US Marines and he was keen to point out that although the Iraqis have official authority, that they are still having their hands held by the Americans, kind of like a shadow government (obviously)...

Indeed the US want to withdraw from Iraq, but not for the sake of the lives of the soldiers but as this would look politically bad for Mr. Bush, as the deathtoll of the US Military goes up, the more it looks like the Vietnam war...

But for now its a catch22 situation for the Coalition forces, if they stay there will be car bombings and other general instability and if they leave then there'll be a civil war...

[RVF500]

I agree with BEANFro. Pulling out now would be worse than staying on. Despite the incidents that are an almost daily occurance. To leave before the Iraqis have stable govt and the insurgency is under control would be to hand a huge victory and support to those insurgents and also destabilize what govt the Iraqis do have.

Remember, insurgents are not Iraqi nationals. Some Iraqi nationals are rebelling but what is their background? Fedayeen? former Baathists? Some Shia militants are also in the mix but I think we can all agree that these are actually minorities.

[RVF500]

Unfortunately Pyle me old mate. Destroying the infrastructure is the quickest way of defeating a country. So now we've been a party to destroying it I guess we ought to be a party to putting it back together.

I agree that the carpetbaggers are in town. War can be a profitable business. Building a Hummer factory. Well it's the same as selling Abrams to the Saudis. All part of tying the govt to the US. Having gone in and 'liberated' the country the US aren't about to hand it over to someone who isn't on their list of favourites. Contributing to the economy by building a factory and providing jobs etc is one way of doing it. Someone's going to make a profit out of it. No escaping that. Businessmen don't do things for free.

It's a sh*t sandwich whichever way you look at it. No point bemoaning the fact that we should have left it well alone. Nor that we were lied to in order to make sure we agreed to turn up. That's history and we had a chance to get rid of the lying git that dropped us in it there. We didn't take that chance. So we're going to have to put up with the fact that we are stuck there with the Yanks until the Iraqis can control teh country without us. At this stage I don't think we can but I did read somewhere that the Iraqis are taking over more and more of the security duties. But that's only a part of it. We still have a responsibility to help rebuild the infrastructure and the economy.