Here we go.

In a surprise move, sovereignty has been formally transferred to the Iraqi government two days early:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S.-led coalition transferred sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government Monday, speeding the move by two days in an apparent bid to surprise insurgents and prevent them from trying to sabotage the step toward self rule.

Militants had conducted a campaign of car bombings, kidnappings and other violence that killed hundreds of Iraqis in recent weeks and was designed to disrupt the transfer, announced by the Bush administration late last year. Intially, the Americans were thought to have planned for about one more year of occupation.

Legal documents transferring sovereignty were handed over by U.S. governor L. Paul Bremer to chief justice Mahdi al-Mahmood in a small ceremony attended by about a half dozen Iraqi and coalition officials in the heavily guarded Green Zone. Bremer took charge in Iraq (news - web sites) about a year ago.

Bremer has already left Iraq, a move which should reinforce the perception that Interim Prime Minister Allawi is now in charge. It's hoped that the change in the timing of the transfer will disrupt plans for violence associated with it; I expect a short-term increase in bombings and attacks once this sinks in, and if there was any doubt that either the Turkish hostages, the American Marine Wassef Ali Hassoun or the Pakistani driver Amjad would be killed... lose that doubt. My condolences to their families.

I'm sure that we all agree that a successful new Iraq government dedicated to democracy, human rights and an honorable peace with its neighbors would be a good thing, and that we all extend our good wishes and/or prayers towards that end.

Comments

[Jesurgislac]

Legal documents transferring sovereignty were handed over by U.S. governor L. Paul Bremer to chief justice Mahdi al-Mahmood in a small ceremony attended by about a half dozen Iraqi and coalition officials in the heavily guarded Green Zone.

Would be interesting to know exactly what "change in sovereignity" means: does anyone know if these legal documents are publicly accessible anywhere?

Bremer has already left Iraq, a move which should reinforce the perception that Interim Prime Minister Allawi is now in charge.

Not so long as the US military remains in occupation of the country. (And did the Iraqis ever resolve the issue that US military and civilian contractors have immunity from prosecution for crimes committed in Iraq?)

It's hoped that the change in the timing of the transfer will disrupt plans for violence associated with it;

I doubt that moving the ceremony up 2 days will do anything but put Negroponte in the target zone as opposed to Bremer. But, we'll see.

I'm sure that we all agree that a successful new Iraq government dedicated to democracy, human rights and an honorable peace with its neighbors would be a good thing, and that we all extend our good wishes and/or prayers towards that end.

On that, we can all agree. One day, we can hope, the Iraqis will have a successful new government dedicated to democracy, human rights and an honorable peace with its neighbors: but this one seems likely to fail on all counts*. To quote Diane Duane: "The structure of space/time is more concerned with means than ends: beginnings must be clean to be of profit."

*Believe me, I shall be delighted to be wrong in this pessimism: if I'm wrong, on June 28 2005, I'll eat crow** on this blog.

**Metaphoric crow. I'm a vegetarian.

[Edward]

I wanted to write something critical of this move when I first heard it; titles like "Back-Door Democracy" or "Not Quite How Wolfie Imagined It" highlighting the sad fact that this like-thieves-in-the-night move indicates just how much control the insurgents have, but there's really no point to do anything other than what Moe's suggested here: extend our good wishes and/or prayers towards [a successful new Iraq government dedicated to democracy].

May Allah help Allawi in all the ways he can.

[Timmy the Wonder Dog]

The curtains open a little early on Act II, we shall see what happens on the security front.

[asdf]

Hey, Edward! (sorry, OT)

Remember that discussion we had a while back about China and our new strategic orientation?

Well, here you go.

This is hardly surprising, and confirms my view that Iraq is as much about China as it is about terrorism. If you go back and look at the priorities and grand strategy outlined by the administration before it came into office and when it published the National Security Strategy of the US back in 2002, it all makes sense.

Of course, I like Tom Friedman's idea of joint research on renewable energy much better, but I suppose that's not the way this administration thinks.

[Edward]

Thanks for the link asdf. It's all adding up and the "conspiracy theories" don't sound quite so out-to-lunch now.

Saw the Friedman piece too. Only one question: where's Slarti been?

[crionna]

Of course, I like Tom Friedman's idea of joint research on renewable energy much better, but I suppose that's not the way this administration thinks.

Ya know, I was all pumped for renewable energy too, until I started reading SDB. Just what source(s) is Mr. Friedman talking about to replace the 3+Million Megawatts of power used by the US?

[Anarch]

In a surprise move, sovereignty has been formally transferred to the Iraqi government two days early...

They're screwed, but here's to hoping.

[asdf]

crionna-

A combination of sources.

[crionna]

A combination of sources.

I'm serious. Show me how. What sources? SDB does the best job I've seen of comparing the sources to the energy required to run the US and showing that they will not meet even a little of the need. Not alone, not together. No way, no how.

3+Million Megawatts = 3,000+ large nulear power plants. How do you make up for that?