Nation & World News
Bush reaffirms end to U.S. occupation of Iraq
Some officials say the
projected June 30 transfer
of power is ‘a gamble'
By Jonathan S. Landay
Knight Ridder Newspapers (KRT)
WASHINGTON — With a speech
on Monday at the U.S. Army War Col
lege in Carlisle, Pa., President Bush is
scheduled to kick off an intensified
drive to reassure Iraqis, Americans and
the rest of the world that the occupa
tion will end despite the presence of
more than 100,000 U.S. soldiers and a
1,000-strong U.S. embassy.
Bush's chances for success in Iraq,
and perhaps also in the November
presidential election, hinge on
whether Iraqis accept the interim
government that is to replace the
U.S.-led occupation on July 1, U.S.
officials and experts agree.
"We'll have an active role. But the
truth of the matter is, Iraq will be run
by Iraqi citizens," Bush said in a May
18 interview with the Iraqi newspa
per Al-Zaman.
An interim government that is
seen by most Iraqis to be making its
own decisions, not taking orders
from Washington, would have a
chance to draft a democratic consti
tution and guide the country to par
liamentary elections by early 2005,
the officials and experts said.
Continued political chaos,
mounting casualties and growing
costs in Iraq, however, could erode
public, congressional and interna
tional support for U.S. policy and
spark growing calls for an American
withdrawal.
"The United States ... is gambling
regardless of what it does; if a pro
longed military presence threatens to
delegitimize the new Iraqi govern
ment, a premature and abrupt with
drawal could create a security vacu
um encouraging disorder, even civil
war," warns a new study published
by the Strategic Studies Institute at
the War College, where Bush is to ap
pear Monday.
The report compared the U.S. wars
in Vietnam and Iraq and found that
"the differences greatly outnum
bered the similarities."
Nevertheless, it said, Vietnam
holds important lessons for Bush
because the United States faces a
dilemma in Iraq similar to the one
it faced in South Vietnam 40 years
ago. No local government is likely
to survive without massive Ameri
can military support, but that sup
port undermines the government's
legitimacy.
"In Iraq, as in South Vietnam,
political success will require cre
ation of (1) a government regarded
as legitimate by the great majority
of the country's inhabitants, and
(2) security forces capable of pro
tecting the new political order," the
study said.
"In Iraq, the United States is start
ing from scratch because no real na
tional government and only fledg
ling security forces exist. Moreover,
any government the United States
fosters in Iraq will be tainted in the
eyes of many Iraqis by virtue of its
American association, especially if
the security situation continues to re
quire a large and highly visible U.S.
military presence."
As that has dawned on more offi
cials in recent months, the adminis
tration has begun trying to lower the
American profile in Iraq.
The administration's latest course
change in Iraq began last month,
when it agreed that United Nations
envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, in consulta
tion with Washington and leading
Iraqis, should select the members of
the interim government.
Brahimi is expected to announce his
choices for a president, two vice presi
dents, a prime minister and 26 cabinet
members by the end of the month.
This month, Secretary of State Col
in Powell said the United States
would pull its 135,000 troops out of
Iraq if the interim government asked
it to, although he added that he
thought there was little chance such
a demand would be made.
Another critical component of
Bush's transition strategy is a new
U.N. resolution that administration
officials hope will help dispel the
widely held belief in Iraq and the
Arab world that the interim govern
ment will be another U.S. tool.
The resolution, which is the sub
ject of furious debate in the U.N. Se
curity Council, would declare an
end to the 15-month U.S.-led
occupation, proclaim the restoration
of Iraqi sovereignty and give interna
tional recognition to the interim
government.
It also will "make it clear that Iraqi
assets, particularly oil assets, belong
to Iraqis and would be managed by
them," Deputy Secretary of State
Richard Armitage told the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee on
May 18.
The critical status of U.S. troops af
ter June 30, and how much authority
the interim government will have
over its own security forces, remains
unsettled, however.
Armitage told the Senate commit
tee that an American general would
retain overall command, but that
Iraqi forces will be able to "opt out"
of military operations if they choose
not to participate.
Many experts, however, doubt that
the new Iraqi army and other securi
ty forces being trained by the United
States and other countries will be
able to take over any time soon.
(c) 2004, Knight Ridder/Tribune
Information Services.
Arab leaders promise more
free, democratic societies
Iraqi sovereignty was a main
topic of discussion at this
weekend’s summit in Tunisia
By Michael Matza
Knight Ridder Newspapers (KRT)
TUNIS, Tunisia -- Responding to in
ternal and external pressures to open
up their governments to popular par
ticipation, Arab leaders concluded a
two-day summit Sunday by promising
a larger role for private citizens in pub
lic affairs, support for women's rights
and expansion of civil society.
"Our states are committed to values
of human rights... reinforcing freedom
of expression and the independence of
the judiciary," Arab League Secretary
General Amr Moussa said, reading
from the summit's closing statement.
Recognizing that the Arab League's
22 members are not uniformly ready
for change, the statement said the
countries would implement initia
tives "according totheir own terms of
reference," meaning at their own
pace and in keeping with local tradi
tions and customs.
The summit also expressed support
for returning sovereignty to the Iraqi
people as soon as possible. It said the
United Nations should have "a central
and effective role... in order to end the
(U.S.-led military occupation) and
arrange the stages of transferring sov
ereignty to the Iraqi people."
The delegates condemned "the in
humane and unethical crimes and
practices committed by troops of the
occupation forces."
Delegates had been expected to hit
out more harshly against the United
States for the prisoner-abuse scandal,
but most realized "it was an incident,
not a policy," said a senior Egyptian
delegate.
For its part, the summit pledged "to
fight terrorism in all its forms while
making a distinction between terror
ists and people who have a legitimate
right to fight occupation."
Yet the principal achievement of the
weekend was plain and simple, several
participants said: For the first time in
the League's 59-year history, it pledged
to actually implement what it resolves.
Leaders agreed to a document ti
tled "Pledge of Accord and Solidari
ty," which commits them to imple
menting Arab League decisions "to
guarantee a better future for the Arab
countries and their peoples and to
avoid the ordeals of sedition, divi
sion and infighting."
"We ... undertake to work together
to take decisions which fulfill these tar
gets," Moussa said.
The development was revolutionary
for a body widely viewed as ineffective
and lacking enforcement mechanisms.
"It increases the challenges and the
urgency to do something about them,"
said Palestinian Authority foreign min
ister Nabil Shaath.
(c) 2004, Knight Ridder/Tribune
Information Services. Matza reports
for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
FIRECRACKER
continued from page 4
public offering to the boundlessness
of his creativity.
"That is one of my messages for any
student, or young aspiring filmmaker
anywhere, is: You can do it anywhere,
especially nowadays," said Balderson.
"It's been kind of exciting that I can
stay in Kansas and make these
movies. You don't have to go to L.A."
Luna admires Balderson's tech
nique; in fact, his unique methods are
one reason she holds Balderson in
high regard professionally.
"Steve is hands-down one of the
best directoiial experiences I have ever
had," she said.
Although "Firecracker" isn't com
ing out until later this year, the be
hind-the-scenes documentary gives
fans an overview of the kind of ubiq
uitous determination the Baldersons
and company shouldered for the du
ration of the project.
Pop culture has welcomed with
open arms the trend of behind-the
scenes and real-life stories — the suc
cess of shows such as VII l's "Behind
the Music" and El's "True Hollywood
Story" are testimony to this popularity.
Oftentimes, though, many stories told
in such a fashion are rarely as
interesting to the public as the creators
hope, and the behind-the-scenes tales
fail to heighten the project's public ap
peal. "Wamego" lies in no danger of
this fate. While parts of the documen
tary are somewhat dry, Balderson pulls
no punches in telling even the grittiest
details of the film's making.
"1 really wanted to show how much
blood and sweat really do play a part
in this, and how much you do have to
do it, " said Balderson. To him, it's all
about dedication — and dedication
has risen again with the work of
Balderson; it is present and accounted
for, twinkling bright amid the bleak
laziness of commercial expectation.
"If I can inspire at least one person to
continue with their dream and just do
something, then that is just awesome,"
said Balderson. 'The best part is, if you
work really hard, and put yourself up to
the challenge, anything can happen."
"Wamego: Making Movies Any
where" will be available June 18
through Dikenga's Web site. The site
for the movie is
http://www.dikenga.com/
films/firecracker. The Dikenga home
page is http://www.dikenga.com.
Contact the copy chief
at rebekahheam@dailyemerald.com.
Her opinions do not necessarily
represent those of the Emerald.
Tm
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STUDENT TRAVEL & BEYOND
The University of Oregon Alumni Association
and Student Alumni Relations Board
_ present_
SENIOR
SEND OFF 2004
A graduation party for the
Class of 2004!
Music by Rhetoric Tuesday, a free gift for
graduating seniors, alumni ^
merchandise, and door prizes.
DATE
Thursday, May 27, 2004
TIME
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
PLACE
EMU Amphitheater
o
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
For more information, call the UOAA at 346-S6S6 or
visit us on-line at alumni.uoregon.edu.