Expanded role for UN in Iraq
The US on Wednesday requested the enhanced collaboration of key United Nations Security Council members in the administration of post-Saddam Iraq, but stopped short of relinquishing absolute command of military operations.
The proposed new draft UN resolution will widen power sharing arrangements between coalition troops and further under-gird Iraq’s inchoate political institutions, US Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters.
With the advent of the albeit US-led, multinational force, the Bush administration hopes to take the edge off anti-American sentiment and the growing number of guerrilla attacks on US forces in the occupied country.
It is expected that other governments will be asked to contribute funds and military personnel to the effort.
More than 30 countries already patrol post-war Iraq, providing some 23,000 troops.
Mr Powell said the US would retain its “dominant role”:
“The U.S. will remain commander of the unified command and there will be an element in the resolution that calls upon the United States as the leader of the military coalition to report on a regular basis to the United Nations.
“Certainly the United States will continue to play a dominant role, a dominant political role, because of the size of the U.S. force presence and the leadership we are providing. But there are many roles to be played.”
Mr Powell consulted UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as well as close ally, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, and counterparts from France, Russia, Germany.
Germany’s ambassador to the UN Gunter Pleuger said Berlin wanted to see a “central role for the United Nations and if that is the outcome of a new resolution we will welcome that.”
Mr Powell said the reaction to the plans had been “positive.”
India, Pakistan, Turkey and several Arab states have thus far refused to send personnel to bolster coalition forces without a fresh UN mandate.
The new Security Council resolution would also call on the Iraqi Governing Council to prepare the groundwork for a new constitution and a “timetable” for elections, Mr Powell said.
It is envisioned that most US forces could withdraw from Iraq within 18 months to two years, as part of the shared peacekeeping operations.
On Wednesday, US marines passed on control of parts of central Iraq to an international force of 9,500 troops led by Polish General Andrzej Tyskiewicz.
The US has about 148,000 troops based in Iraq, supported by about 11,000 British troops.
US President Bush is pencilled on to speak to the UN General Assembly on September 23.
