IGC hopes new Finances will Grant more Autonomy from US

Some of the reasons for which the US did not initially want a separate fund for UN monies in Iraq may be apparent in an AFP story on the Interim Governing Council wanting more authority than Paul Bremer is willing to grant it. It seems that the IGC is hoping that the donors who pledge at the Madrid conference will funnel the money directly to them rather than via the US. It may be that they hope that the new UN account for Iraqi reconstruction will also be used directly for IGC projects. Despite the dangers of the US-appointed IGC gaining some autonomy, the US was forced to acquiesce in the separate UN fund because the donors made it clear they wouldn't just deposit the money into Mr. Bremer's CPA account.

Meanwhile, al-Hayat reports that IGC member Adnan Pachachi has floated a proposal that the IGC be given more legislative power by the Americans, and that it be authorized to craft a temporary constitution under which quick elections could be held to produce a government with international legitimacy.

This is similar to a proposal that I made a couple of weeks ago, and I only hope the US has the sense to listen to Pachachi here. The permanent constitution could still be drafted by elected delegates, but they'd have more leisure to negotiate and get it right if there were a legitimate Iraqi government in place while they worked. As it is, the US seems likely to be bogged down in Iraq for years.


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