Login
Login

Iraqi Interim Government

{{Short description|2004–2005 US-controlled caretaker government of Iraq}}

{{Infobox government cabinet

|cabinet_name = Iraqi Interim Government

|jurisdiction = Iraq

|flag = Flag of Iraq (2004–2008).svg

|flag_border = true

|image = Coat of arms of Iraq (2004–2008).svg

|date_formed = {{Start date|2004|06|28|df=y}}

|date_dissolved = {{End date|2005|05|03|df=y}}

|government_head = Ayad Allawi

|legislature_status = Coalition

}}

{{Politics of Iraq}}

The Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until the drafting of the new constitution following the National Assembly election conducted on January 30, 2005. The Iraqi Interim Government itself took the place of the Coalition Provisional Authority (and the Iraq Interim Governing Council) on June 28, 2004, and was replaced by the Iraqi Transitional Government on May 3, 2005.

Organization

Image:Allawi1.jpg.]]

The Iraqi Interim Government was recognized by the U.S., the United Nations, the Arab League and several other countries as being the sovereign government of Iraq (see Iraqi sovereignty for more information). The U.S. retained significant de facto power in the country and critics contend that the government existed only at the pleasure of the United States and other coalition countries and considered it a U.S. puppet government,{{Cite web |title=Iraqis rise up against 16 years of 'made in the USA' corruption |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/iraqis-rise-against-16-years-made-usa-corruption/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=openDemocracy |language=en}} whose military forces still remain in Iraq.

=The law and the head of government=

The government's head of government was Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and his deputy was the influential and charismatic Barham Salih. The ceremonial head of state was President Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer.

Absent a permanent constitution, the new government operated under the Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period.

Allawi was a former member of the Iraq Interim Governing Council and was chosen by the council to be the Interim Prime Minister of Iraq to govern the country beginning with the United States' handover of sovereignty (June 28, 2004) until national elections, scheduled for early 2005. Although many believe the decision was reached largely on the advice of United Nations special envoy to Iraq, Lakhdar Brahimi, the New York Times reported that Brahimi only endorsed him reluctantly after pressure from U.S. officials, including Paul Bremer, the former US Iraqi Administrator.{{cite news | url=http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2004/585/585p15.htm | title=IRAQ: US still calls the shots | work=Green Left Weekly | date=29 June 2004 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008044238/http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2004/585/585p15.htm | archive-date=8 October 2008 | first=Doug | last=Lorimer | access-date=27 June 2013}} Two weeks later, Brahimi announced his resignation, due to "great difficulties and frustration."{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/brahimi-quits-post-as-un-envoy-in-iraq-1.125060|title=Brahimi quits post as UN envoy in Iraq|last=Shamir|first=Shlomo|date=13 June 2004|work=Haaretz|access-date=27 June 2013}} Allawi is often described as a moderate Shia (a member of Iraq's majority faith) chosen for his secular background and ties to the United States. However, his image has been undermined with the media suggesting that Allawi was Washington's puppet.{{cite news | title=Iraq's New S.O.B. | work=Newsweek | date=July 2004}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/26/opinion/26dowd.html?_r=0|title=Dance of the Marionettes|last=Dowd|first=Maureen|author-link=Maureen Dowd|date=26 September 2004|work=The New York Times|access-date=27 June 2013}}

Actions of the Interim Government

After his interim government assumed legal custody of Saddam Hussein and re-introduced capital punishment, Allawi gave assurances that he would not interfere with the trial and would accept any court decisions. In an interview with Dubai-based TV station al-Arabiya he said: "As for the execution, that is for the court to decide—so long as a decision is reached impartially and fairly."{{cite news |title=U.S. Airstrike on Fallujah House Kills 10 |agency=Associated Press |date=6 July 2004 |publisher=ABC News |url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040706_164.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040820005539/http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040706_164.html |archive-date=20 August 2004 |access-date=27 June 2013}}

="Precedents" and accusations=

In early July 2004, Allawi issued an unprecedented statement claiming that the Iraqi interim government had provided intelligence for the U.S. air strikers with 500 and 1000 pound (220 and 450 kg) bombs on Fallujah in July.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} Later he announced new security measures, including the right to impose martial law and curfews, as well as a new counter-terrorist intelligence unit, the General Security Directorate.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/16/1089694556435.html|title=Allawi sets up spy agency|last=Yates|first=Dean|date=17 July 2004|work=The Age|access-date=27 June 2013}} Allawi vowed to crush the Iraqi insurgency, saying he would "annihilate those terrorist groups".{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3896853.stm|title=Iraqi PM vows to crush insurgents|date=15 July 2004|publisher=BBC News|access-date=27 June 2013}}

On July 17, The Sydney Morning Herald alleged that one week before the handover of sovereignty, Allawi himself summarily executed six suspected insurgents at a Baghdad police station.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/16/1089694568757.html?oneclick=true|title=Allawi shot prisoners in cold blood: witnesses|last=McGeough|first=Paul |date=17 July 2004|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=27 June 2013}} The allegations are backed up by two independent sources{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2004/s1155990.htm|title=Iraqs interim PM executed six insurgents: witnesses|last=McKew|first=Maxine|publisher=ABC Online|date=16 July 2004|access-date=27 June 2013}} and the execution is said to have taken place in presence of about a dozen Iraqi police, four American security men and Interior Minister Falah al-Naqib. Allawi reportedly said that the execution was to "send a clear message to the police on how to deal with insurgents." Both Allawi's office and Naqib have denied the report. US ambassador John Negroponte did not clearly deny the allegations. On July 18, Iraqi militants offered a $285,000 reward for anyone who could kill Iyad Allawi.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3904151.stm|title=Fourteen killed in Falluja strike|date=18 July 2004|publisher=BBC News|access-date=27 June 2013}}

=Allawi's policies=

In August, Allawi closed the Iraqi office of Al Jazeera for thirty days. His minister Hoshiyar Zebari deplored the "one-sided and biased coverage" and declared that the interim government "will not allow some people to hide behind the slogan of freedom of the press and media."{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} Allawi also appointed ex-Baathist and former Saddam intelligence officer Ibrahim Janabi as the head of the Higher Media Commission, a regulator of Iraq's media.{{cite web|url=http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=17458 |title=Iraq's Prime Minister suppresses media |first=Bill |last=Berkowitz |publisher=Working Assets |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110034931/http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=17458 |archive-date=November 10, 2006 |access-date=27 June 2013 |url-status=unfit }} The banning of Al Jazeera was widely criticised in the Arab world and the West, for example by Reporters Sans Frontières who called it "a serious blow to press freedom".{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1279412,00.html|title=Al-Jazeera closure 'a blow to freedom' |last=O'Carroll|first=Lisa|date=9 August 2004|work=The Guardian|access-date=27 June 2013}}{{cite news |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/533359.htm |title=Banning bad news in Iraq |work=International Herald Tribune |date=11 August 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040815040759/http://www.iht.com/articles/533359.htm |archive-date=15 August 2004 |access-date=27 June 2013}}

The negotiations that followed the fighting between Muqtada al-Sadr's militia and joint US/Iraqi forces in Najaf ended when Allawi withdrew his emissary Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie on August 14. An al-Sadr spokesman alleged that they "had agreed with Rubaie on all points but Allawi called him back and he ended the issue."{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3565200.stm|title=Talks collapse in Iraqi holy city|date=14 August 2004|publisher=BBC News|access-date=27 June 2013}}

=Criticism=

Allawi has been heavily criticised by members of his own government. Justice minister Malik Dohan al-Hassan resigned over the issue of an arrest warrant of Ahmed Chalabi. Vice president Ibrahim al-Jafari commented on the attacks against al-Sadr: "War is the worst choice, and it is only used by a bad politician." Another Iraqi official said: "There are brush fires burning out of control all over the place from terrorists and insurgents, and he starts a new bonfire in Najaf."{{cite this quote|date=June 2013}}

While the strategy of "eliminat[ing] Moqtada Sadr's political movement" by "crushing his military power" instead of integrating him into the political process received mostly praise in the West,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3555284.stm|title=Analysis: Will Najaf strategy work?|date=11 August 2004|publisher=BBC News |access-date=27 June 2013}} the Arab press levelled harsh criticism of Allawi's handling of the Najaf situation.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3564706.stm|title=Press round on Iraq's new leaders|date=14 August 2004|publisher=BBC News|access-date=27 June 2013}}

Members of the Interim Government

As appointed on 28 June 2004:{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3766401.stm|work=BBC Online|title=Interim Iraqi government|access-date=2006-02-24 | date=1 June 2004}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.iraqigovernment.org Official Homepage of the Iraqi Interim Government]
  • [https://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/oneworld/20040815/wl_oneworld/6573918391092580392 Iraq Assembly Off to a Faltering Start] (One World, Aug 15)
  • [http://middleeastreference.org.uk/iraqministers.html middleeastreference.org.uk: Members of the Iraqi Cabinet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916224347/http://middleeastreference.org.uk/iraqministers.html |date=2008-09-16 }}
  • [http://www.cfr.org/publication/7664/ Iraq: The interim government leaders] (Council on Foreign Relations)

{{Iraqi governments}}

{{s-start}}

{{succession box

| before=Coalition Provisional Authority

| title=Government of Iraq

| years=June 28, 2004 - May 3, 2005

| after=Iraqi Transitional Government

}}

{{s-end}}

Category:Cabinets of Iraq

Category:Provisional governments

Category:2004 establishments in Iraq

Category:2005 disestablishments in Iraq

Category:History of the government of Iraq (2003–2011)