Washington: Facing criticism for wanting to run the affairs of post-Saddam Iraq by
itself, the US has sought the support of all willing nations in rebuilding the war-
torn country, but said the UN cannot play a major role in the process.
US diplomats have contacted more than 65 countries in recent weeks to ask for their
assistance and have received expression of support from 58 of them, a State
Department spokesman said on April 10.
Secretary of State Colin L Powell, in an interview with Dutch television, asked
European countries to contribute peacekeeping forces.
General Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate
Armed Services Committee on April 10 that the Pentagon has given the State
Department a list of urgent needs from other countries, including police officers.
Officials said the administration is also seeking doctors and nurses, as well as
engineers to help rebuild bridges, roads and buildings in Iraq, the 'Washington
Post' reported on April 11.
"We are going to pressure all of our friends and allies to contribute as much as
they can," Deputy Defence Secretary Paul D Wolfowitz told the Senate Committee on
April 10.
Offers of military and financial help are already coming, Wolfowitz said, predicting
a "larger coalition of the willing" for reconstruction than for the war.
He said the United Nations can be a "partner" in reconstruction efforts,
particularly in such areas as refugee assistance and humanitarian relief, but "it
can't be the managing partner, it can't be in charge".
Wolfowitz, however, added that the world body could play an important role
in "helping to mobilise international support" for Iraq and noted that UN
endorsement is a requirement for World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)
aid.
He had some caustic words for France, Germany and Russia, countries that had most
vocally criticised the US for attacking Iraq without UN sanction.
"I hope they will think about the very large debts (that Iraq owes them) that come
from money lent to Saddam Hussein to buy weapons and to build instruments of
repression.
"I think they ought to consider whether it might not be appropriate to forgive some
or all of that debt, so that the new Iraqi government isn't burdened with it,"
Wolfowitz said.
Citing countries such as Kosovo and Bosnia, where UN-led administrations have been
in place for years, Wolfowitz argued for a more rapid move to self-government in
Iraq.
"We want to see a situation where power and responsibility is transferred as quickly
as possible to the Iraqis themselves," Wolfowitz said.
To facilitate this, the US would organise "town meetings" across Iraq that are
intended to help identify new Iraqi leaders who could work with US authorities and
begin the process for establishing Democratic rule, he said.
The meetings will be hosted by general Tommy Franks, the commander of US forces in
Iraq, and will be organised in partnership with Britain, Australia and Poland – the
other countries with substantial numbers of ground forces in Iraq.
PTI
