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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (189487)	6/1/2004 7:39:37 PM
From: tejek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1573817

U.S. Backs New Iraq Leaders, Says Not Puppets Tue Jun 1, 2004 06:33 PM ET (Page 1 of 2) By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush threw his support behind the leaders of Iraq's newly formed interim government on Tuesday and his national security adviser said they were not "America's puppets." Bush pledged to work with the new prime minister, Iyad Allawi, days after the United States was caught off guard when the Iraqi Governing Council chose him to lead a government that takes over on June 30 and is to guide the country to national elections in December or January. "All the new prime minister needs to know is that I look forward to a close relationship with him," Bush said at a Rose Garden news conference. Washington's influence over the political process looked uncertain when its preferred choice for president, elder statesman Adnan Pachachi, took himself out of the running. This cleared the way for tribal chief Ghazi Yawar, a critic of U.S. military tactics. Yawar was sworn in with an interim Cabinet of technocrats and the Iraqi Governing Council was dissolved. Rather than quibble about names, Bush and top U.S. officials decided to embrace the interim government, point out that acceptable men and women would serve in it and stress that for Iraqi president, for instance, the United States had not had its heart set on any one candidate. "I can tell you firmly and without any contradiction, this is a terrific list, a really good government, and we are very pleased with the names that have emerged," said national security adviser Condoleezza Rice. After his Rose Garden appearance, Bush spoke by phone to both Allawi and Yawar. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Allawi thanked Americans for their sacrifices in Iraq, a gesture Bush welcomed with enthusiasm. "He thanked America and I appreciated that a lot," Bush said. Rice dismissed any suggestion the United States was unhappy with the outcome of the internal machinations. "Surprise, surprise, politics has broken out in Iraq," she said. As for complaints from some of the new Iraqi leaders about the U.S. occupation, Rice said: "These are not America's puppets. These are independent-minded Iraqis who are determined to take their country to security and democracy." Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry reacted tentatively. "I haven't had enough input yet," he told reporters during a campaign visit to Florida. "It just happened today. I wish them well. I hope it works. We all want it to work but I need to get some input." Continued ... reuters.com