Iraq: "The Struggle For Sovereignty" - The Guardian (London)

The struggle for sovereignty

Democracy in Europe grew out of popular action against unrepresentative rule; the resistance in Iraq is part of the same story

Karma Nabulsi
Wednesday June 23, 2004
The Guardian

"The United States and Britain claim to be handing sovereignty to Iraq next week. In fact, the occupying power cannot legally transfer sovereignty on June 30 for one simple reason: it does not possess it. Sovereignty is vested in the Iraqi people, and always has been: before Saddam Hussein, after him, under the martial law of the American proconsul Paul Bremer today.

This fact is reflected in the language of the most recent UN resolution - 1546, on June 8 - as well as previous ones, all of which "reaffirm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq". The constant need of George Bush and Tony Blair to claim sovereignty reflects more than a misunderstanding of the laws of war and basic international law. It demonstrates an alarming ignorance of the democratic structures of the very countries they were elected to represent. This ignorance also provides us with some clues as to why they have no understanding either of what they are doing in Iraq, or what is happening on the ground there."

See more at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1245135,00.html