Spurious sovereignty!

Is Iraq actually sovereign now? The answer relates to internal and external aspects of sovereignty. Internal sovereignty means having the absolute authority to command and enforce obedience over all individuals or associations within the state. In fact, the Iraqi government neither has unitary control over security agencies that is to say coalition forces in driving operations against guerrilla attacks, nor in oil management and its export. Prompt disposal of power is nothing but Bush's political strategy to regain his lost popularity, eyeing the ensuing presidential election. Fear of huge coalition casualties and having a diplomatic win by getting logistic support from NATO leaders are other reasons behind the handing over of 'sovereignty' . Experts believe that the early hand-over was planned to deprive the Iraqi authorities of having unitary control over the coalition forces.

Although the main task of the Iraqi government is to represent a united and reconstructed nation, it has to confront with two-fold challenges namely, US-UK pressure and guerrilla attacks. The US is just playing experimental games with executive, legislature and judicial organs of Iraq, imposing its own style of democracy which would most probably start with martial law (!) State administration is always a sensitive issue in Iraq due to political, social, religious, economic and geographical perspectives of the Middle East. Freedom loving Iraqis will never tolerate direct or indirect foreign interference veiled under so called sovereignty. It is the Iraqi people who have the right of determining what form of government they want in their country. Plebiscite is the best method of determining public opinion that can be held on consensus among Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and other communities. And this plebiscite must be held under the supervision of UN peacekeepers that can only ensure a smooth atmosphere, not coalition forces. Otherwise, bloodshed will continue in Iraq year after year.