"The government is committed to holding the elections on schedule," Dr. Allawi said, trying to cut off calls from within his own cabinet to delay the voting until the violence around the country is tamed. "We know some Iraqis fear voting, but we have to overcome those fears."
Dr. Allawi spoke two days after what some officials have described as an anguished phone call with President Bush, in which the prime minister expressed worries that the campaign by the insurgents was undermining the likelihood of a peaceful and legitimate vote.
President Bush has said publicly that he is opposed to putting off the election, and White House aides said he and Dr. Allawi had agreed to hold fast. Still, many in Washington interpreted the phone call from Dr. Allawi as an effort to test the waters, and to determine if Mr. Bush would brook a delay.
White House officials would not discuss the 15-minute conversation between Mr. Bush and Mr. Yawar in anything more than generalities, sidestepping questions about whether the two men had discussed the merits of moving forward on Jan. 30 or delaying.
Yet the fact that Mr. Bush felt the need to discuss the matter with Iraq's leaders twice within 48 hours suggested a new level of concern in the White House that the movement for delay within the Iraqi cabinet must be cut off. Because Mr. Bush insists that Iraqis are now fully in control of their own country, White House officials say, the president has to move cautiously so as to not appear to be interfering in Iraq's internal politics.
NY Times articleDr. Allawi spoke two days after what some officials have described as an anguished phone call with President Bush, in which the prime minister expressed worries that the campaign by the insurgents was undermining the likelihood of a peaceful and legitimate vote.
President Bush has said publicly that he is opposed to putting off the election, and White House aides said he and Dr. Allawi had agreed to hold fast. Still, many in Washington interpreted the phone call from Dr. Allawi as an effort to test the waters, and to determine if Mr. Bush would brook a delay.
White House officials would not discuss the 15-minute conversation between Mr. Bush and Mr. Yawar in anything more than generalities, sidestepping questions about whether the two men had discussed the merits of moving forward on Jan. 30 or delaying.
Yet the fact that Mr. Bush felt the need to discuss the matter with Iraq's leaders twice within 48 hours suggested a new level of concern in the White House that the movement for delay within the Iraqi cabinet must be cut off. Because Mr. Bush insists that Iraqis are now fully in control of their own country, White House officials say, the president has to move cautiously so as to not appear to be interfering in Iraq's internal politics.
Oh, for god's sake, give it up already.
Fully in control of their own country, but they can't muster a security force? "Not appear to be interfering" by making desperate phone calls?
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