Iraqis to have “full autonomous control” of Hunting club - Bush
By Lolo La-Roche BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 14 — In a move to reassure the Iraqi population angry that US promises of an independent government are receding to a distant horizon, US president George Bush today promised that his new administrator L. Paul Bremer III would “definitely hand over full autonomous control” of Baghdad’s Hunting Club.
The move, said by Lieutenant Bremer to be “extremely generous” to leave the once fashionable clubhouse and grounds in Iraqi control was rejected angrily by local political groups.
“Since the 16th May when L Bremer first informed us of the US administration’s decision to reverse the plans for an interim Iraqi government we have been in permanent negotiations with the administration... But the country club just isn’t good enough.”
In little more than a week, during which the United Nations passed a resolution granting broad powers to the United States and Britain to run Iraq, the country's political groups have come to the realization that they have lost their bid to dominate the post-war transition.
Local commentators agreed that the Hunting Club was unlikely to quell the building mood of anger amongst Iraqi citizens disappointed by repeated breaking of US promises to hand over control of the country to Iraqi citizens.
“The Hunting Club just isn’t The Place anymore...” Hamid al-Bayati of the main Shiite Muslim group told BIGfib. “Once it was the chic place to be, probably the best place in the country, but since Saddam and his top generals stopped going there no-one’s really interested.”
The move, said by Lieutenant Bremer to be “extremely generous” to leave the once fashionable clubhouse and grounds in Iraqi control was rejected angrily by local political groups.
