Reminding Iraq what the word sovereign means

Or, more accurately, what it doesn't mean.

The US-led occupation authority in Baghdad has warned Iraq's interim government not to carry out its threat of declaring martial law, insisting that only the US-led coalition has the right to adopt emergency powers after the June 30 handover of sovereignty.

  Financial Times article

God help me, I need to get the new dictionary soon or I will never be able to understand what's going on.

Mr Allawi on Tuesday appeared to back away from remarks made on Sunday that the government would assume emergency powers after the handover.

"No, I didn't specifically say martial law meaning martial law," he said...

What a scream. Right out of Monty Python.

Without the slightest bit of embarassment or feeling like a total whore, I suppose. Why bother saying anything at all? Why not just have the U.S. prepare statements you can read?

...adding that the government was developing a "public safety law" which would allow it to implement curfews, searches, and "apprehend the enemies of Iraq".

Better check with us first, before you make statements like that. I'm pretty sure you can't do that last thing there without our consent, since we're going to have control over those "enemies."

US advisers are concerned about the security powers sought by Mr Allawi, a one-time Baath party member, and are struggling to check the ambitions of his ministers to rebuild and re-arm Iraq's forces.

Because that would actually be sovereign.

Frustrated Iraqi officials say reliance on US-led forces will undermine public confidence in the restoration of sovereignty and re-ignite claims that they are lackeys of the occupying forces.

Like you're not?

To curb Iraq's access to heavy weapons, observers say the occupation authorities have signed a $259m contract with US company Anham Joint Venture to be sole supplier of arms to Iraq's armed forces for the next two years.

I wonder what other contracts are going to be signed before July 1.

Alarmed that the deal could leave Iraq's forces outgunned by an enemy with mortars and rockets, Mr Allawi this week vowed to refurbish the old Iraq army's arsenal, and appealed to neighbouring states to provide military hardware.

Mr. Allawi obviously did not understand the terms of his own contract. He won't last long thinking he's making any decisions.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.