06/02/04
Submitted by Templar Titan on Tue, 06/08/2004 - 20:33.
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Interim Leaders Named In Iraq Appointees Are Diverse; U.N. Envoy Is Rebuffed On Choice for President (Washington Post, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1) A diverse group of secular figures, political independents and technical specialists was appointed to serve as Iraq's caretaker administration after the U.S. occupation relinquishes authority at the end of this month. But the U.N. envoy entrusted by the White House to form Iraq's interim government failed to seat his choice for president because of stiff opposition from Iraqi leaders, forcing him to select Ghazi Yawar, a 45-year-old Sunni Muslim tribal sheik who has no government experience beyond a 10-month stint on the U.S.-appointed Governing Council. New Government Is Formed In Iraq As Attacks Go On (New York Times, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1) With bombs and mortar shells exploding outside, a new Iraqi government stepped forward to guide the country toward democratic elections, less than a month from the day the United States will formally restore sovereignty to the restive land. Led by a new prime minister, Iyad Allawi, a diverse cabinet of 33 Iraqis accepted their appointments in a ceremony marked by extraordinary security, a somber tone and measured promises of better days. New Leader Asks U.S. To Stay Iraqis Win Political Dispute With U.S., U.N. Over Key Posts (USA Today, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1) Iraq unveiled a caretaker government in a first step toward ending the formal U.S. occupation of the country and transferring limited political power to Iraqis by June 30. The naming of the administration, chosen to represent Iraq's major Shiite Muslim, Sunni Muslim and Kurdish factions, came after a political struggle in which several Iraqi politicians won appointments over U.N.- and U.S.-backed candidates. Chalabi Reportedly Told Iran That U.S. Had Code (New York Times, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1) Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi leader and former ally of the Bush administration, disclosed to an Iranian official that the United States had broken the secret communications code of Iran's intelligence service, betraying one of Washington's most valuable sources of information about the country, according to U.S. intelligence officials. Fighting In The Shadow Of Iraq Some Fear Afghanistan Has Become A Forgotten War (Washington Post, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1) As American soldiers continue to be killed or wounded in Afghanistan, more than two years after the fall of the Taliban, their families are troubled that their sons and daughters sacrifices may escape the notice of a public transfixed on the raging conflict in Iraq. U.S. Spells Out Dangers Posed By Plot Suspect (New York Times, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1) Just weeks before the Supreme Court is to decide whether the Bush administration improperly declared accused "dirty bomber" Jose Padilla an enemy combatant, the Justice Department released newly declassified documents that it said showed the grave terrorist threat he posed to the United States. IRAQ New Cease-Fire Offered As Heavy Fighting Continues (Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2004) The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq reportedly proposed a new cease-fire for the cities of Najaf and Kufa, even as American forces continued heavy battles with militants in the area and military commanders said the Iraqi police forces needed for the plan were months away from deployment, at the earliest. Iraq Moves Ahead, But Attacks Persist Five Dead In Bombing Of Kurdish Office (Washington Post, June 2, 2004, Pg. 21) Hope, skepticism and bombs greeted the naming of Iraq's interim president. A suicide bomber detonated explosives packed into a Chevrolet Caprice sedan in front of the headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, a U.S.-allied party that represents part of Iraq's Kurdish minority. The blast killed at least five persons, hospital officials said, when it sprayed metal 50 yards, smashed windows and brought down a first-floor ceiling in the building. Iraqis Want More Than What They'll Get June 30 Much Still To Do For Even Limited Transfer Of Power (USA Today, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1) Few Iraqis pine for the days of Saddam Hussein; most still say they are thankful that the U.S.-led coalition drove him out. But there is wide agreement on what Iraqis want next: their country back. But they want more of it back than they will get as part of the hand-over of sovereignty by the end of this month. Iraq's New Government Faces Bargaining Over Its Power (New York Times, June 2, 2004) The new caretaker government in Iraq was hailed by President Bush as ready to assume "full sovereignty" after June 30. But its first job, according to American officials, will be to negotiate sharp limits on that sovereignty in many vital areas, particularly security matters. And less than a month before the scheduled transfer of power, it remains unclear exactly how much power will be transferred. New Leaders, U.S. Bound By Their Interests (Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2004) The messy process of naming a caretaker government for Iraq did not give the Bush administration its top choices for new leaders, but the interim regime is one that Washington probably will be able to work with. There may be public squabbling over security and control of Iraqi finances, but key issues likely will be settled quietly and pragmatically, analysts say. For better or worse, the interim government is the team President Bush must work with to turn the invasion of Iraq into a success story. Many Hurdles Ahead For U.S. [Analysis] Success Of U.N. Draft Resolution May Be Pivotal For Bush (Washington Post, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1 With the introduction of both a new Iraqi government and a new U.N. draft resolution, the Bush administration sensed the beginning of the end to its controversial and costly intervention in Iraq. But the relief visible at the White House may be short-lived, for the United States still faces serious obstacles. Interim President's Ties Could Benefit New Iraq Al-Yawer Not Anti-American, May Reach Out To Sunni Arabs (Washington Times, June 2, 2004, Pg. 10) Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, the tribal chief who was named interim president of Iraq, blames much of the postwar chaos on the U.S.-led occupation, but he is not seen as anti-American. Leaders' Control Over Security Unclear (Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2004) The interim Iraqi government faces an array of troubles, but for most Iraqis security tops the list of problems the new leaders need to fix. Security is key to rebuilding the nation, creating jobs and, ultimately, holding elections. Workday For Boy, 13, Ends In His Death (Miami Herald, June 2, 2004) While American fatalities are dutifully recorded, the vast majority of Iraqi terror victims die in obscurity. But each civilian death has a ripple effect-emotional and economic-on family members, friends and neighbors. And the frustration and resentment that many Iraqis already feel for the occupation grows with each new victim. IRAQ-ABU GHRAIB Experts See Possible Conflicts For Ryder (New York Times on the Web, June 2, 2004) The Army general who reported last fall that there was no mistreatment at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq also commands the criminal investigators now pursuing the abuse cases, drawing concerns by some military law experts about a potential conflict of interest. Maj. Gen. Donald J. Ryder was promoted Oct. 29 to provost marshal general in charge of all Army law enforcement units, including the military police now at the center of the investigation, while he was in the middle of a trip looking for management problems and possible abuse at Abu Ghraib and other Iraq prisons. Management Style Shows Weaknesses [Analysis] Delegation of Responsibility, Trust In Subordinates May Have Hurt Bush (Washington Post, June 2, 2004, Pg. 6) President Bush has long prided himself for focusing on big goals rather than niggling details and delegating significant responsibility to his aides. But his belated attention to the brutality at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison has revealed vulnerabilities in a management style that had brought him personal and political success. ASIA/PACIFIC Rumsfeld To Outline Regional Security Plans In Singapore (wsj.com, June 1, 2004) Defense ministers and military chiefs from at least 20 Asian countries and major Western powers will gather in Singapore Friday to listen to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld outline Washington's security strategy for the region and its plans in Iraq. Rumsfeld May Visit Bangladesh, Request Troops For Iraq (wsj.com, June 1, 2004) Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is expected to visit Bangladesh this weekend and may urge the predominantly Muslim nation to contribute troops to the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, according to news reports. US, Singapore Begin Naval War Games In South China Sea (wsj.com, June 1, 2004) The United States and Singapore navies began a 10-day joint training exercise, days before Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld unveils Washington's latest Southeast Asian security strategy during a visit to the city-state. Singapore Goes It Alone In Maritime Security Drill (Washington Post, June 2, 2004, Pg. 12) Despite the urging of security experts that Singapore and its neighbors work together more closely against terror threats in the waters of Southeast Asia, a recent anti-terrorist exercise at the world's second-busiest port was exclusively a Singaporean affair. Officials from the United Nations, the U.S. Coast Guard and China's maritime security agency attended, but only as observers. Roh's Top Security Advisor Visits US (Korea Times, June 2, 2004) South Korean National Security Advisor Kwon Jin-ho left on a five-day trip to the United States where he will meet with senior Bush administration officials, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz and national security advisor Condoleezza Rice. China War Games Seen As 'Message' U.S. Says Military Exercises Aim At Warning Taiwan On Independence (Washington Times, June 2, 2004, Pg. 5) China's military is preparing to hold large-scale war games intended as a "political message" to Taiwan, amid heightened tensions between the island and mainland, according to U.S. intelligence officials. The military exercises are part of China's annual maneuvers involving large numbers of troops, ships, aircraft and missiles, and will take place on Dongshan Island which is off Fujian province along the southern Chinese coast near Taiwan. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT E-Mail Links Cheney's Office, Contract Officials Say Only Involvement In Halliburton Deal Was Announcing It (Washington Post, June 2, 2004, Pg. 6) Shortly before the Pentagon awarded a division of oil services contactor Halliburton a sole-source contract to help restore Iraqi oil fields last year, an Army Corps of Engineers official wrote an e-mail saying the award had been "coordinated" with the office of Vice President Cheney, Halliburton's former chief executive. The March 5, 2003, e-mail was disclosed over the weekend by Time magazine. Officials in Cheney's office and at the Pentagon played down the significance of the note, saying the word "coordinate" referred only to the public announcement of a deal that had been quietly in the works for months. Pentagon To Address Sex Assaults (Denver Post, June 2, 2004) Top Pentagon officials will testify before Congress on Thursday to outline what could be their broadest proposals ever for addressing systemic failures in the handling of sexual-assault cases. The hearing before a panel of the House Armed Services Committee comes as several proposed laws wend their way toward approval on the heels of Congress' own recent investigation into military practices. AIR FORCE Iraq Focus Of AFA Speech (Denver Rocky Mountain News, June 2, 2004) President Bush will use his speech today at the Air Force Academy to try to win back support for the Iraq war that was lost with the mounting casualties and the prison abuse scandal. "I'm going to talk about the war on terror, the clash of ideology," Bush told the Washington press corps. Bush To Visit A Changed Air Force Academy (DenverPost.com, June 1, 2004) A year ago, President Bush scrapped a trip to the Air Force Academy as the school was plunged into a scandal in which dozens of female cadets said they were raped and sometimes punished when they reported the assaults. The school has made sweeping changes since then, ousting top leaders and overhauling sexual misconduct policies. Gone are the "Bring Me Men" sign and some of the tough-guy policies used to intimidate freshmen. Cadets now take classes designed to teach them respect for women and inform them about sexual assault laws. GUANTANAMO Australian May Face U.S. Tribunal (New York Times, June 2, 2004) The Australian government says that one of its citizens imprisoned at the American naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba, will be charged by the United States this month and is expected to go before a military tribunal sometime in August. Prime Minister John Howard will discuss the issue of the prisoner, David Hicks, who is accused of having fought with the Taliban in Afghanistan, with President Bush in a visit to the White House this week. WHITE HOUSE Bush Denies Picking Leaders (Washington Times, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1) President Bush said he had nothing to do with the selection of Iraq's interim government and insisted that the new leaders are not Washington's puppets-hours after congratulating some of them in personal telephone conversations. An Upbeat Bush Praises New Interim Government In Iraq (New York Times, June 2, 2004) President Bush called the selection of an interim Iraqi government a major step toward stability and democracy in Iraq, but he said he expected continued violence there and suggested that other nations were unlikely to send additional troops to help quell the insurgency. Iraq Costs At $119.4 Billion-And Rising (Miami Herald, June 2, 2004) The $119.4 billion figure, compiled by the White House Office of Management and Budget, is the administration's most comprehensive tally of the war's financial costs so far. Of the total, $97.2 billion has been for military operations, $21.2 billion for rebuilding Iraq's economy and government, and $1 billion for U.S. administrative expenses there. Powell Presses C.I.A. On Faulty Intelligence On Iraq Arms (New York Times, June 2, 2004) Secretary of State Colin Powell has pressed the CIA for several months to account for the faulty intelligence that led him to tell the United Nations last year that Iraq definitely possessed illicit weapons, according to several senior administration officials. Trip's Agenda: Wars Past And Present Bush Sets Off for Europe To Commemorate World War II, Seek Support For Iraq Policy (Washington Post, June 2, 2004, Pg. 6) President Bush leaves for Europe tomorrow feeling the tug of two wars. On the ground in Italy and France, the symbolism will all be of World War II. But in the private meetings with his European counterparts and in his news conferences, the talk will be of the ongoing war in Iraq, which France and Germany bitterly opposed. Bush, Pope To Discuss Iraq, Other Issues (USA Today, June 2, 2004, Pg. 6) When President Bush visits the Vatican on Friday, the two sides will be eager to put aside their differences over the war in Iraq, officials in Rome said. CONGRESS Senate Delays Overhauling Torts To Focus On Military Spending (New York Times, June 2, 2004) Faced with the threat of a Democratic filibuster, Senate Republicans temporarily abandoned an effort to consider limits on class-action lawsuits and instead will try to complete a major Pentagon spending measure in the coming days. HAITI U.S. Begins Transfer Of A Shaky Haiti To U.N. Hands (New York Times, June 2, 2004) United States commanders began turning over anarchic, flood-ravaged, starving Haiti to a handful of U.N. troops. The 3,600-member American-led military force brought a measure of stability to the country after the first Marines landed Feb. 29, the day President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced from power under rebel attack and American pressure. But despite the military's best efforts during the past three months, it leaves behind a mess. AFGHANISTAN Afghan Prison Review (New York Times, June 2, 2004) The top American general in Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. David Barno, promised "rapid action" on an internal review of Afghan jails where at least three prisoners have died, but said details of techniques used there will remain classified. MIDEAST Stealth Missile Planned, Defense Ministry Says (International Herald Tribune, June 2, 2004) Iran is producing its first stealth missile, a rocket that can evade electronic detection, the Iranian Defense Ministry said, declining to specify its range. The weapon is capable of hitting ships and aircraft. Iran Still Making Nuclear Materials, U.N. Agency Says (New York Times, June 2, 2004) Nearly two months after pledging to suspend its nuclear program, Iran is continuing to make parts and materials that could be used in the manufacture of nuclear arms, according to a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency. UNITED NATIONS U.S., Britain Offer Timeline For Troop Pullout United Nations Considering New Version Of Resolution (USA Today, June 2, 2004, Pg. 5) The United States and Britain tried to smooth over objections to a U.N. resolution on Iraq with a version that would remove troops no later than early 2006. The draft represents the most specific end point proposed to date for the U.S.-led military presence in Iraq. POLL Glass Half Full For Most Americans Best To Come, Optimists Expect (Washington Times, June 2, 2004, Pg. 1) Americans are optimistic, "very satisfied with life" and have confidence in their public institutions, especially the U.S. armed forces and law-enforcement agencies, two new polls show. BUSINESS Halliburton Deal 'Violated Rules On Procurement' (London Financial Times, June 2, 2004) The Pentagon violated federal procurement rules when it awarded Halliburton, the oilfield services company formerly headed by Vice President Richard Cheney, a multi-billion dollar contract to repair Iraq's oil infrastructure, according to persons briefed on a pending report by congressional auditors. The deal raised objections within the Army, but they were overruled by the office of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, according to the General Accounting Office. OPINION Iraq: The Greatest Danger Ralph Peters (New York Post, June 2, 2004) The author of "Beyond Baghdad: Postmodern War and Peace" observes that, throughout history, far more battles have been lost by a failure of nerve than have been won by military genius. "Today, the greatest danger to American efforts in Iraq remains the collapse of our will." For Some Soldiers The War Never Ends Andrew Exum (New York Times, June 2, 2004) A former Army captain and author of the forthcoming "One Man's Army" criticizes the military's "stop-loss" policy, under which commanders hold soldiers past the date they are due to leave the service if their unit is scheduled to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. The policy runs contrary to the concept of the volunteer military set up in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. For enlisted soldiers, men and women who sign on with the Army for a predetermined period of service in lieu of commissions, stop-loss is a gross breach of contract. The Soldiers You Never Hear About They're Not All Prisoner-Abusers, You Know Kate O'Beirne (National Review, June 14, 2004, Pg. 18) The three major networks have run over 200 stories on the detainee-abuse scandal, making the seven disgraced soldiers assigned to Abu Ghraib the most recognizable faces of American service in Iraq. The media's line of attack against the war is revealed in its selective coverage of our soldiers: all villains and victims, no valor. Not one of the heroes decorated for bravery in Iraq has received a minute of coverage from ABC, CBS or NBC. Taking Shots At Missile Defense Baker Spring (Washington Times, June 2, 2004, Pg. 15) A Heritage Foundation research fellow argues that while the Bush administration's missile-defense program is not perfect, Congress should not change the law or existing policy at this point, when a limited operational capability is only months away. For the short term, America must continue to test and field defenses able to defeat limited missile attacks on our homeland. EDITORIAL In The Iraqi Interim (Washington Post, June 2, 2004, Pg. 24) The new Iraqi government and the Bush administration will have to pragmatically navigate a bumpy course toward the one goal that is shared with Iraqi's majority: elections for a truly representative government. "If that democratic vote, rather than Washington's policy agenda or Iraqis' personal ambitions, remains the dominating priority, then the new administration in Baghdad will have a reasonable chance of surviving the difficult months ahead." Iraqis In Charge (Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2004, Pg. 14) "It's too early to call yesterday's naming of an interim but sovereign Iraqi government a turning point in the country's struggle to escape from Saddam Hussein's despotism. But it's hard to see it as anything other than good news. President Bush can talk about broadening the Iraq coalition all he wants, but we're far more likely to find dependable allies in Baghdad than in Paris or Moscow. Finally, he's decided to trust Iraqis with a little control." Iraq's Interim Government (New York Times, June 2, 2004) "Since it is in Iraq's best interests, and America's, that the new government succeed, it must now be endowed with as much credibility and sovereignty as possible. An important early step would be to make sure that its leading members are closely involved in the final drafting of the United Nations Security Council resolution that will help define the nature of Iraq's coming sovereignty." The Fog Persists In Iraq (Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2004) The interim Iraqi cabinet is neatly divided among Iraq's diverse and competing groups. Whether its members can even be protected from assassination precedes the question of whether they can govern effectively. That, in a nutshell, is the continuing U.S. problem in Iraq." Source: Defense News |
