Iraq's new leader to recruit some of Saddam's soldiers
By Philip Sherwell and Colin Freeman in Baghdad
May 31, 2004
Iyad Allawi, Iraq's prime minister-designate, plans to recall four divisions of
Saddam Hussein's old army to create a rapid reaction force and anti-terrorism
unit to deal with the country's security crisis.
On the eve of his appointment, the leader of the Iraqi National Accord laid out
his strategy for bolstering the struggling security forces after the June 30
transfer of power.
The INA still draws heavily on former Iraqi military and intelligence officers,
and Dr Allawi believes the decisions last year to disband the old army en masse
and introduce a rigid policy of sacking Baathists from all official posts
contributed significantly to the collapse in law and order.
Dr Allawi was diplomatic on the contentious issues of how long coalition forces
should remain in Iraq and how the military chain of command would operate after
June 30.
"Iraq has to have a presence within the command structure, but the details need
to be discussed. We need a partnership with the US and Europe for the sake of
peace, stability and progress in the region as a whole."
As a secular Shiite Muslim viewed as acceptable to Iraq's Sunni and Kurdish
minorities, Dr Allawi won unanimous backing from the governing council, and got
the belated support of Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations special envoy.
But his low public profile, his Baathist past, long years in exile and ties to
Western intelligence created a mixture of cautious optimism, indifference and
hostility among ordinary Iraqis.
"Never heard of him," said Mudhar al-Hassan, 32, a grocer. "We will never get a
decent leader of our own. Saddam killed them all. I don't think people will
listen to him; nobody likes outsiders running their country."
The US Administration's statements after the announcement were reserved because
it did not want to appear to be driving the process, officials said, especially
in view of past ties with Dr Allawi.
Mr Brahimi and the US administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, endorsed Dr Allawi,
and a senior US official in Baghdad said without equivocation that Dr Allawi
will take office.
Dr Allawi began the process of forming a government team on Saturday by meeting
US and Iraqi officials, aides said.
A senior US official in Baghdad said Iraq's new president and two
vice-presidents would probably be named late at the weekend, with the rest of
the 26-minister cabinet line-up to follow within a day or two.
American, Iraqi and UN officials appeared to strike a deal over the most
important cabinet ministers for the new government that is to take over on July
1.
Mr Brahimi and Mr Bremer are backing a former foreign minister, Adnan Pachachi,
for the post of president. Leaders of the Iraqi Governing Council support a
rival, Sheik Ghazi Ajil al-Yawar. Both are Sunnis.
Mr Brahimi is expected to name three Shiites, two Kurds and one Sunni to
high-level jobs in the cabinet, a mix that reflects the ethnic and religious
balancing act under way.
Sources said the two Kurds were Barham Salih and Hoshyar Zebari, who would be
named as foreign and defence ministers. Adel Abdul Mahdi would become finance
minister, Thamir Ghadbhan would be named oil minister, and Dr Raja Khuzaie
health minister.
Samir Sumaidy, a Sunni, is likely to be appointed as the interior minister.
The Telegraph, London; Reuters, The New York Times
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