U.S. to hand over military control to Iraq

By Jim Krane
The Associated Press

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BAGHDAD, Iraq — In less than four months, a sovereign Iraqi government will have authority to impose restrictions on U.S. troops, or even request that they leave.

U.S. military officials here, who are planning for American forces to be in Iraq through 2005, say they are sure the latter option won't be exercised.

"We intend to stay here as invited guests as long as we are needed, as long as we are wanted, and as long as we are invited," Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy operations chief, said last week.

U.S. officials want to make sure U.S. forces are free to continue to kill insurgents, interrogate prisoners and command Iraq's new security forces.

But the rules that troops follow after the June 30 hand over have yet to be written, and Iraq's government will have a say.

Iraq's transitional government is expected to "invite" the U.S. military to stay in control of Iraq's security, technically ending America's status as occupier. U.S. and British leaders say they expect few practical aspects of the occupation to change right away.

Military control will probably fall under a U.S.-headed joint command. Yesterday, a U.S. official said Iraq's future Defense Ministry will have fewer than 100 employees, led by a civilian staff approved by Iraq's U.S. overseer, L. Paul Bremer.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ministry was designed by officials from several countries in the U.S.-led coalition. He said the ministry plan was "discussed at length with many Iraqis." But no treaty guarantees this hoped-for state of affairs. There is no Iraqi government to approve it.

"At this point, we'd be negotiating with ourselves, because we are the government," said a top U.S. military official in Baghdad, who also spoke on condition of anonymity. "This isn't a critical issue until we're no longer the Coalition Provisional Authority. But what happens when we hand over sovereignty?"
 
Whether the U.S. military gets the power it wants, remains to be seen.

Most Iraqis back a continued role for U.S. troops, but they're not likely to tolerate a foreign power in command of an Iraqi army, police, or even Iraqi prisoners, said Hamed al-Bayati, a spokesman for Iraqi Governing Council member Abdel Aziz al-Hakim.

A British official said some proposed treaty language would place Iraqi forces under Iraq's Ministry of Defense, which, in turn, "will agree to place them at the disposal of the multinational force."

The U.S. will keep jurisdiction over its own forces. "The good news is most Iraqi leaders know they need us," said Michael O'Hanlon, an analyst with Brookings Institution in Washington.

"The Iraqis will have the choice to send us home at any time. But if they send us back, we're not necessarily coming back if things fall apart. They know this. Both sides must know it's an Iraqi decision to keep American forces there."

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