Monday, September 01, 2003

AND THE CRITICS SAY THE US IS SLOW...

Iraq finally has a cabinet.
The U.S.-picked Iraqi Governing Council named a 25-member Cabinet on Monday, a much-delayed move that could accelerate the return of some powers from the American occupation administration to local authorities...

U.S. officials have voiced frustration at the slowness with which the council has gotten to work, especially in regard to taking a greater role in Iraqi security and gathering intelligence that might block attacks on American forces and prominent Iraqis.

The council said it had been prepared to announce the government list late last week but delayed it because of the Najaf bombing.

The naming of the government was the third major achievement of the council since it was formed in July.

After considerable delay, the council settled on a nine-member presidency with officials serving on a rotating, monthly basis. The council also has set up a commission to study how the country will proceed toward selecting members of a constitutional assembly to write a new legal framework for Iraq.

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