Group of Iraqis Asks UN to Take Over
By Ryan Lenz
The Associated Press

Wednesday 12 March 2008

Baghdad - A group of Iraqi tribal leaders, former politicians and intellectuals appealed Wednesday to the United Nations to take control of Iraq in a move they say would help U.S. troops leave the beleaguered country.

Both the U.S. administration and the Baghdad government are unlikely to endorse the request, which was addressed to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and delivered to the Cairo offices of the organization.

"We believe that the only opportunity left for Iraq to be saved from a dark, but not inevitable future, is to engage the international community represented by the United Nations," the letter said. "Such a step will allow the American troops to leave and the occupation to be brought to its end."

The group's coordinators include Adeeb al-Jadir, Ahmed Al-Haboubi and Nouri Abdel Razak Hussein, politicians overthrown in 1968 when Saddam Hussein's Baath party came to power and long part of the liberal anti-regime opposition prior to the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

The U.N. dramatically curtailed its operations in Iraq after an August 2003 suicide attack killed its representative and scores of others. The United States has been pushing for an expanded U.N. role in Iraq but that did not include supervising the country.

The Iraqi group said the world body should supervise a new security plan to restore order during a transitional period and prepare for new elections of a government to replace Nouri al-Maliki's troubled cabinet.

Representatives for the campaign will travel to the U.N. headquarters in New York to seek support from key members, said al-Haboubi, a former government minister.

"We are also ready to discuss our proposals with U.S. officials," he said.

The men said the petition was signed by dozens of Iraqi dignitaries and they had scores of supporters in Iraq who preferred to rename anonymous for know to avoid harassment.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi government on Wednesday announced a committee formed to explore ways citizens could sue U.S. forces involved in "unjustified killings," according to the prime minister's office.

The U.S. military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Also Wednesday, the U.S. military acknowledged that a roadside bomb targeting a passing U.S. convoy had struck near a passenger bus, a day after initially claiming no one died in the attack.

U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner could not confirm the number of casualties, but said no U.S. forces were involved in any gunfire that followed.

"We are still working with Iraqi security forces, and those now investigating the detailed circumstances of that attack, to learn whatever else we can," Bergner said.

Dr. Hadi Badr al-Riyahi, head of the Nasiriyah provincial health directorate, confirmed that the attack on the bus traveling from Najaf to Basra killed 16 civilians and wounded 20 about 50 miles south of Nasiriyah.

At the time of the attack, a local policeman and the assistant bus driver also said 16 people were killed on the bus, which was riddled with holes that appeared to be caused by shrapnel or bullets.

On Tuesday, violence reportedly killed a total of at least 42 people across Iraq. The sudden spike comes in the wake of a 60 percent drop in attacks across the country since June, according to U.S. military figures.

According to an Associated Press count, at the height of unrest from November 2006 to August 2007, on average approximately 65 Iraqis died each day as a result of violence. As conditions improved, the daily death toll steadily declined. It reached its lowest point in more than two years on January 2008, when on average 20 Iraqis died each day.

Those numbers have since jumped. In February, approximately 26 Iraqis died each day as a result of violence, and so far in March, that number is up to 39 daily. These figures reflect the months in which people were found, and not necessarily, in the case of mass graves, the months in which they were killed.

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Iam all for it..turn Iraq over to the UN and get ourselves out. everything we have done over there has hurt our country, from gas prices to our respect in the world. the dollar is sunk and our defecit is shamefull. what a disaster

Me too, give them what they want, it is their country after all.

lol, oh yes, UN has a great track record in these things. Genocides, mass rapings, killings, drug dealing, brides. Sounds like a great plan, for the best of Iraq. Come on.

star if you dont have a selective memory we have all those problems in this country and in fact have those same problems in our military.

Oh I'm sorry, when I said "Genocides, mass rapings, killings, drug dealing, bribes" I was talking about how all this came about either directly thanks to or because of a lack of ability of the UN. The UN brought on these things. You are saying our military are illegal monsters committing unspeakable crimes against humanity, raping thousands, killing in cold blood constantly, taking bribes and drug dealing? Would love to see where you would copy and past that from.

I'm out, so when I don't respond further you can claim mass intelligence superiority for all that I care. I'm staying away from this place again.

shall i start on the constitutionality

of united states troop fighting for another power

No star I didnt say that but in our "free press" one countries crimes get front page news and 24/7 coverage on fox and our crimes are usualy called "mistakes" just like how our press and government ignored Saddams attrocities while he was our allie and playes down human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, China, and yes even Isreal. and just a small reminder our country was the only country ever found guilty by the world court for state sponcored terrorism. What is great about this country is that for now we can freely discuss things without fear of retribution

I am not anti-soldiers. They do what they are told to do and I am honored by them for the sacrifice they give for our country. I would never say that they are what you listed.

I have been against attacking Iraq from the get. Iraq had nothing to with 9/11. I want the perpetrator of 9/11 to pay for his crimes against this country. It is not the militaries fault that our illustrious leader lead the battle to the wrong place. Not at all.

Tell that to the Canadians who died at the Medak Pocket (Croatia), Canadians who died in Vietnam with UN after US withdrawl, Canadians in Cyprus and the dozens of other current UN operations. We have one stain on our peace keeping record (Somalia) and an entire Regiment was dishonored and disbanded for it. I have yet to hear of an American Regiment paying the price for what it does (as represented by its troopers). But then I suppose that it's because we do such a bad job that we are respected around the world while wearing a Blue Beret on our head and a Maple Leaf on our shoulder.

Does anyone find it a little disturbing that when we first wanted to go in and remove saddam the un was basicly saying, no no leave him alone yet now that we have removed the threat they are willing to go in and attempt to do their job. It's a little retarded that they only go in when they see fit, which seem to be after the job is done.

I think they are willing to go clean up our mess and end some of the violence and suffering. It too bad we were not welcomed as liberators as both Bush and Cheneye predicted and there probly will be no peace unless we commit genocide or leave

Wow. 42 people died in Iraq? That would be amazing if the crime in the U.S. was that low.

Wow commit genocide or leave, Theres some good choices. Ive heard of extreamist thinking but that is bordering on fanatical. As far as ending the violence and suffering... I dont think so. When has the un ever ended anything. They alwas step in after the sh*it has hit the fan and is starting to fall. Even when it was osama that was our main target the un wouldnt back us. I bet if it was the un headcorters that was hit and not the trade center they would have sent troops.

yea i know. Put that beside the death statistics of the US and I bet the violence dosent seem so bad.

When was Osama our target???? I don't remember that day

If they want the UN let em have the UN, we did not belong there anyway.

ooooo I dont know 9/11 apox. 10am Weather bush actualy went over for osama in the first place is debatable, I personaly dont think bush ever intended on persuing osama, but what I am saying is when our "official" target was osama/al queda (or however you spell it) the un wouldnt back us. Oh well they Just get in the way anyway.

Correction

The UN wouldn't back going into Iraq. The reason for Iraq was WMD's. The reason being that weapons inspectors had not yet finished their job.
Osama bin Laden is/was in Afghanistan.