Everything about Iraq Interim Government totally explained
The
Iraqi Interim Government was created by the
United States and its coalition allies as a
caretaker government to govern
Iraq until the
Iraqi Transitional Government was installed following the
Iraqi National Assembly election conducted on
January 30,
2005. The Iraqi Interim Government itself took the place of the
Coalition Provisional Authority (and the
Iraq Interim Governing Council) on
June 28,
2004, and was replaced by the Iraqi Transitional Government on
May 3,
2005.
Organization
It was recognized by the U.S., the
United Nations, the
Arab League and several other countries as being the
sovereign government of Iraq (see
Iraqi sovereignty for more information). The U.S. retained significant
de facto power in the country and critics contend that the government existed only at the pleasure of the United States and other coalition countries, whose military forces still remain in Iraq. The coalition did promise that its troops would leave if the new sovereign government requested it, but no such request was made.
The Law and the Head of government
The government's
head of government was
Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and his
deputy was the influential and charismatic
Barham Salih. The ceremonial
head of state was
President Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer. They were all sworn in at a second and more public ceremony on
June 28 2004, shortly after the small private one at which
L. Paul Bremer, the Coalition Provisional Authority's administrator, formally gave chief justice
Midhat Mahmoud the legal documents instituting the hand-over.
Absent a permanent constitution, the new government operated under the
Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period.
Allawi was a former member of the
Iraq Interim Governing Council and was chosen by the council to be the Interim
Prime Minister of Iraq to govern the country beginning with the United States' handover of sovereignty (
June 28,
2004) until national elections, scheduled for early
2005. Although many believe the decision was reached largely on the advice of
United Nations special envoy to Iraq,
Lakhdar Brahimi, the
New York Times reported that Brahimi only endorsed him reluctantly after pressure from U.S. officials, including
Paul Bremer, the former US Iraqi Administrator.
(External Link
) Two weeks later, Brahimi announced his resignation, due to "great difficulties and frustration."
(External Link). Allawi is often described as a moderate Shia (a member of Iraq's majority faith) chosen for his secular background and ties to the United States. However, his image has been undermined with the media suggesting that Allawi was Washington's
puppet (for example Newsweek:"
Iraq's New S. O. B."
(External Link), NYT: "
Dance of the Marionettes"
(External Link)).
Actions of the Interim Government
After his interim government assumed legal custody of Saddam Hussein and re-introduced
capital punishment, Allawi gave assurances that he wouldn't interfere with the trial and would accept any court decisions. In an interview with
Dubai-based TV station
al-Arabiya he said: "As for the execution, that's for the court to decide — so long as a decision is reached impartially and fairly."
(External Link)
A note from
Condoleezza Rice to
George W. Bush, who then wrote "Let Freedom Reign!" at the occasion of the handover of power to the interim government. The note featured prominently in the U.S. media.
"Precedents" and accusations
In early July, Allawi issued an unprecedented statement claiming that the Iraqi interim government had provided intelligence for the U.S. air strikers with 500 and 1000 pound (220 and 450 kg) bombs on Fallujah in July.
(External Link) Later he announced new security measures, including the right to impose
martial law and
curfews, as well as a new
counter-terrorist intelligence unit, the
General Security Directorate (External Link). Mr Allawi vowed to crush the Iraqi insurgency, saying he'd "annihilate those terrorist groups"
(External Link).
On
July 17, two Australian newspapers, the
Sydney Morning Herald (External Link),
(External Link) and
The Age (External Link), published an article alleging that one week before the handover of sovereignty, Allawi himself summarily executed six suspected insurgents at a Baghdad police station. The allegations are backed up by two independent sources
(External Link) and the execution is said to have taken place in presence of about a dozen Iraqi police, four American security men and Interior Minister
Falah al-Naqib. Mr Allawi reportedly said that the execution was to "send a clear message to the police on how to deal with insurgents." Both Allawi's office and Naqib have denied the report. US ambassador
John Negroponte didn't clearly deny the allegations. On 18. July, Iraqi militants offered a $285,000 reward for anyone who could kill Iyad Allawi.
(External Link)
Allawi's policies
In August, Allawi closed the Iraqi office of
al Jazeera for thirty days. His minister
Hoshiyar Zebari deplored the "one-sided and biased coverage" and declared that the interim government "will not allow some people to hide behind the slogan of freedom of the press and media." Allawi also appointed ex-Baathist and former Saddam intelligence officer
Ibrahim Janabi as the head of the Higher Media Commission, a regulator of Iraq's media.
(External Link) The banning of al-Jazeera was widely criticised in the Arab world and the West, for example by
Reporters Sans Frontières who called it "a serious blow to press freedom"
(External Link),
(External Link), but more welcome in Washington, where al-Jazeera is thoroughly disliked.
The negotiations that followed the fighting between
Muqtada al-Sadr's militia and joint US/Iraqi forces in
Najaf ended when Allawi withdrew his emissary Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie on
14 August. An al-Sadr spokesman alleged that they "had agreed with Rubaie on all points but Allawi called him back and he ended the issue."
(External Link)
Criticism
Allawi has been heavily criticised by members of his own government. Justice minister
Malik Dohan al-Hassan resigned over the issue of an arrest warrant of
Ahmed Chalabi. Vice president
Ibrahim al-Jafari commented on the attacks against al-Sadr: "War is the worst choice, and it's only used by a bad politician." Another Iraqi official said: "There are brush fires burning out of control all over the place from terrorists and insurgents, and he starts a new bonfire in Najaf."
(External Link)
While the strategy of "eliminat[ing] Moqtada Sadr's political movement" by "crushing his military power" instead of integrating him into the political process received mostly praise in the West
the Arab press levelled harsh criticism of Allawi's handling of the Najaf situation.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3564706.stm
Members of the Interim Government
As appointed on
2004-06-28:
Further Information
Get more info on 'Iraq Interim Government'.
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