Symbolic Transfer of Power in Iraq Changes Little in War-Ravaged Nation~Costs of Conflict Detailed in New Report

Interview with Emira Woods, co-director of the group Foreign Policy in Focus, conducted by Scott Harris

On June 28, two days ahead of schedule, U.S. authorities in Baghdad handed over power to an appointed, interim Iraqi government. The symbolic transfer of authority took place in virtual secrecy in a move designed to evade an expected wave of violence by insurgents bent on disrupting the original handover date. Saddam Hussein was placed in the custody of the new government, but will still be guarded by foreign soldiers. Questions remain about how much real power the new government will be able to exercise on major policy issues and the authority it will have over the 138,000 U.S. troops and other forces which remain in the country.

Iraqis are widely skeptical about the legitimacy of the new government led by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, a man who was on the CIA payroll for many years. A June survey conducted by a British polling firm found that 60 percent of Iraqis think the U.S. invasion of their country was wrong, not surprising given the chaos and violence which continue to consume Iraq 15 months after the Bush administration's pre-emptive strike.

The Institute for Policy Studies, along with Foreign Policy in Focus have recently published a study on the costs of the Iraq war, both human and economic, incurred by the people of Iraq, the U.S. and the world. The study titled, "Paying The Price, The Mounting Costs of the Iraq War," provides a comprehensive analysis of civilian and military deaths, reconstruction costs and the resulting cuts to social programs in America's domestic budget. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Emira Woods, co-director of the group Foreign Policy in Focus, who assesses the U.S. transfer of power and the staggering costs of the war thus far.

Read "Paying The Price, The Mounting Costs of the Iraq War," online at www.ips-dc.org or contact Institute for Policy Studies at (202) 234-9382.

Related links:

"A Pitiful Occasion for the People," by Robert Fisk, The Star / South Africa, June 29, 2004

"Iraqis Have Lived This Lie Before: The British Transfer of Sovereignty in the '20s was Equally Meaningless," by Haifa Zangana, Guardian / United Kingdom, June 29, 2004

"Born Under a Cloud of Irony: The New, Free Iraq May Officially be in the Hands of a Former Terrorist," by Robert Scheer, the Los Angeles Times, June 29, 2004"

"Iraq Regime Change a Sham, Say Mideast Experts," by Thalif Deen, by the Inter Press Service, June 29, 2004

"U.S. Edicts Curb Power Of Iraq's Leadership," by Rajiv Chandrasekaran and Walter Pincus, Washington Post, June 27, 2004

"Handover Or Hangover?" by Maria Tomchic, CommonDreams.org, June 28, 2004

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