Yesterday in the
Optimist/Pessimist post, many of us concentrated on the pessimist piece. The optimist part was a statement by U.N. Special Advisor Lakhdar Brahimi which will be the basis of a major shift in position by Bush and Blair. Blair, who was called 'the best spin in the English language' by CNN, and Junior had a joint announcement today.
While we work through the implications, take a look at Juan Cole's analysis from yesterday, as he suggests it can be a way for the UN to limit the influence of Chalabi in the new new Iraq.
Brahimi seems to be saying that the appointed high officials--a president, two vice-presidents, and a prime minister-- should have genuine grass roots in Iraq and be respected as upright. I think Barzani and Talabani among the Kurds fit this bill, and so do Abdul Aziz al-Hakim and Ibrahim Jaafari among the Shiites. I don't know, however, to whom you would turn among the Sunni Arabs for a politician with substantial grass roots.
In any case, Brahimi's plan would interfere with the Pentagon shoe-horning Chalabi into power as its "democratically minded strong man" (as if such a phrase made any sense). I don't think Chalabi can win a popular election in Iraq unless he buys enormous numbers of votes. But it should be remembered that Barzani, Talabani, and al-Hakim all defend Chalabi and seem to owe him somehow, and if they are at the top of government they may find a way to bring him back in from the cold.
Scroll down for Cole's take on the Brahimi proposal yesterday. NY Times story here.