Cracks divide US, Council

Cracks are emerging in the relationship between the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority and the Iraqi Governing Council, suggesting that as the Iraqis gain more power they may well pursue policies that could undercut coalition efforts to install a democratic government.

The unelected council members, appointed in co-nsultation with the coalition, have begun acting preemptively, approving provisions and publicly floating proposals without discussing them with coalition leaders.

Topics include ridding the government of many former members of Saddam Hussain's Baath Party, remaking the nation's security forces, outlining the criteria for Iraqi citizenship and prodding Americans to hand over power more quickly.

One proposal likely to be approved by the council envisions combining the militias of various factions as well as some members of the old regime's police and military into a paramilitary force controlled by the Iraqi Interior Ministry - a move that coalition officials worry could create a host of problems.

"We know there is concern about the security situation - a concern the coalition shares," said Dan Senor, a spokesman for and advisor to coalition administrator L. Paul Bremer III.

"But we also have to ensure that when we leave Iraq, the security structure has a proper vetting pro-cess so that former Baa-thists and dead-enders and Mukhabarat don't figure out a way to weasel back into the security structure," Senor said. "We also have to make sure that there is respect for human rights and a high standard of professionalism."

Some also fear a paramilitary force composed of fighters loyal to different political factions would attempt to divide power and territory across the country.

Such a force, as opposed to the Iraqi army currently being trained by international experts, could lead "to the fragmentation of the country, warlordism and civil war," said Gary Samore ofthe Institute for International Strategic Studies.

Under international law, the Governing Council's recommendations must be approved by occupation officials before they go into effect, and Bremer has the power to veto the council's proposals.

But because the American goal is to hand over power to the interim council, it has been in Bremer's interest to assent as much as possible to its proposals, and he has publicly said he expects he would never have to use his veto.

However, he has not yet approved the security initiative. The council's growing independence puts the Americans in a corner. Coalition officials are trying to prove to the world that they are sincere about giving Iraqis real power over their government, but they also want to ensure that the policies adopted are compatible with those of a democratic government and the rule of law.