New Iraq President Says Was Pressured to Step Aside

[Spazito]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq (news - web sites)'s new president Ghazi al-Yawar was quoted as saying on Wednesday he was pressured by foreign parties not to run for the post, partly because he had no links to the U.S. administration in Iraq.


The United States had dismissed suggestions on Tuesday that it was unhappy with Yawar's nomination as president, which came after several days of tense political wrangling in Baghdad. Washington is believed to have preferred Adnan Pachachi, an 81-year-old former foreign minister, for the post.


"There was pressure and offers of other positions in return for my stepping down as presidential nominee and I did not accept any of them," Yawar, a 46-year-old civil engineer and a powerful tribal figure, told the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.


"It was very clear that I was not preferred by the coalition authorities and I have no links to the American administration," said Yawar, who stepped into the largely symbolic role on Wednesday.

more

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&e=11&u=/nm/iraq_yawar_paper_dc

[demnan]

1. Mark my words

he's a walking talking dead man.

An insurgent attack (CIA deep cover) will take him out in no time.

[jobycom]

5. Why would they bother

He's just a figurehead of a powerless organization. The US rules through him, and if he gets uppity, they will rule around him, or suddenly reveal that he has been selling secrets to someone. Bush is better at assassination of character than actual assassination.

Although, he has now slighted Bush, and Bush is a petty man.

[Spazito]

2. Here is what the Iraqis think of the "new" government...

snip

While having little against the individuals picked to form the cabinet, many Iraqis scoffed at the idea they would really be in charge.


"This is a government that has just come in for six months to create the right conditions for the Americans to stay here," said Samir, a translator in Baghdad.

snip

"The new government is the same design as the old; the Americans chose them both," said Mehdi Dawood al-Izba, who runs a taxi company from Baghdad. "But Yawar is a good Iraqi and that is better than the occupation at least."

snip

"I can't say anything about Yawar because I haven't ever really heard of him -- he hasn't been involved in politics in recent years, and he was chosen, not elected," Ahmed Ali, a merchant in the southern city of Basra said.

more

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=nm/iraq_cabinet_reaction_dc

[FreakinDJ]

3. Those darned Iraqis

They were promised a real democracy and now they have the audacity to actually expect to get it

[NewHampshireDem]

4. Raise your hand if you're surprised ...

:looks around: :sees no hands:
:shrug:

[MaineDem]

6. Either he's telling the truth or he IS a shill for the US

If he wants to placate the Iraqis who think this new government is too closely aligned with the US this is the perfect thing to say.

I am upset that I read too much conspiracy into everything these days.

[Dhalgren]

7. You "read conspiracy" into everything

because we are all living in the middle of the greatest conspiracy the world has known. It isn't one of those well thought out, specific goals kind of conspiracy, it is more of an ad hoc, "see what we can get", kind of conspiracy. It is on going and amorpheous. Secrecy is the thing - if everything can just be kept secret, then as plans develop, advantage can be taken. We are just the saps footing the bill, supplying the cannon-fodder, filling the prisons, and losing our country and our futures.

[Spazito]

8. The key will be the agreements signed re oil contracts...

and leases on the 14 bases the US is building, imo. If, and I suspect it will be when, the oil contracts are given to US oil companies, with a few to British companies as a sop to Blair, the glaring truth will be out. If, and again I think when, the leases are signed on the bases being built, the Iraqi people are NOT going to accept them, I suspect.

[whosinpower]

9. On the news last night

They mentioned the conditions the US was looking for to see if Iraqi's would consider this new government legitimate or not...and the prime clue is if this guy SURVIVES or is assassinated!

[Gloria]

10. The other interesting one to watch is one of

the VPs....third most popular leader in Iraq, a Shiite...Leads the DAWA party, whose military wing hit the French and US Embassies (I forget which year).

Check out two articles I posted in the new World Media Watch (link in my sig or at Buzzflash.com)...one on the Prez and one on the VP.

This is one heady mix when you throw in the Prime Minister, Chalabi-lite....

[pinniped]

11. Hey the US didn't have anything to do with it...

just like they didn't have anything to do with the sudden departure of a certain president in the Caribbean.