6.5 |
Planning and preparation for a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, January to
March 2003
the Rock
Drill to draw the conclusion that the job of administering Iraq is
too large
even for
the US to undertake, that putting together a large Coalition –
drawing on
Arab
countries – is the key to success, and that this can only be
achieved by getting
UN
authorisation for Phase IV.”
530.
The attached
guidance note focused on the arguments participants should
deploy
in support
of “at least UN authorisation of the transitional administration,
and ideally
… a UN
transitional administration” and offered them “strategic” guidance
on the UK
contribution.
531.
The guidance
note stated that the UK and US agreed that “there must be a
phased
approach to
the ‘day after’”. For the UK, that meant “(a) military
administration, (b) a UN
transitional
administration and (c) handover of power to a new Iraqi
government”. The
US referred
to “stabilisation”, “recovery” and “transition to
security”.
532.
On
sectorisation, the guidance stated:
“•
UK will
have, in the very short term, to administer the area where its
forces are
at the end
of hostilities. No commitment to administer divisional size area in
the
medium to
longer term. More likely a small area around Basra.
•
No
commitment to administering any part of Baghdad.
•
Where we
are involved in administration, will want to be so in an
exemplary
fashion.”
533.
On the UN, it
stated:
“We need at
least UN authorisation of the transitional administration, and
ideally
want a UN
transitional administration. UN authorisation means a non-US
figurehead.
We need to
explore further the right mix of US, UN and other elements to
achieve a
transitional
administration which:
– is
acceptable to the Iraqis;
– gains UN
Security Council support;
– looks
competent enough for the US.
“We should
argue for:
•
A UN
executive administrator overseeing the international civilian
transitional
administration.
Possibly a central European, with a high preponderance
of
Americans
beneath him.
•
The UN
supervising/mentoring the majority of Iraq’s technical
ministries,
eg health,
agriculture, finance, energy.
•
A separate
UN figure, supported by the international community and
acting
in close
liaison with the US, overseeing the political process leading to
a
new
constitution, a referendum and elections.
403