WASHINGTON, 26 January 2004 — The Bush administration is considering whether to abandon or change its plan to set up an independent Iraqi government through regional caucuses, The Washington Post reported yesterday.
Citing anonymous sources, the Post said the US government could set up partial elections or leave an expanded version of the appointed Iraqi Governing Council in place when it hands over power by June 30.
US officials told United Nations representatives last week that everything is on the table except the June 30 deadline, the Post said. Publicly the US has stuck by its plan to appoint an independent Iraqi government though regional caucuses, followed by elections in 2005.
There have been huge protests across Iraq, spearheaded by the majority Shi’ite community, rejecting the plan and demanding the Iraqis themselves choose who will govern them. Leading Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani has led the calls for direct elections, putting the world’s foremost advocate of democracy in the ironic position of resisting quick representative elections.
The US needs the help of Al-Sistani and the United Nations to make the transition work, US officials told the Post, while not alienating other factions within the country.
Officials are considering several different scenarios, the Post said, including expanding the caucuses to include more community leaders, opening up the caucuses to anyone who wants to participate, or setting up local elections on a staggered basis to make them easier to administer, the Post said.
The United States could also hand over authority to the Governing Council until direct elections can be held so it could leave by June 30, the Post said.
