by Warren Hoge
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 8 - The Security Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted
a one-year renewal of the United Nations mandate for the United States-led
multinational force in Iraq.
The
resolution, sponsored by Britain, Denmark, Japan, Romania and the United
States, extends the mandate until Dec. 31, 2006, but calls for a review of
the decision by June 15 and allows for the ending of the mandate at any
point if Iraq requests it. . . .
The coalition's mandate was established by the Security Council in June 2004
and would have expired with the end of Iraq's transitional government, which
occurs when national elections are held next month.
The United States sought an early renewal to spare the incoming elected
government the burden of having to make a request for international military
assistance so early in its existence and to forestall the possible
resurgence of any Security Council disagreement or the exit of any of the
countries still in the coalition.
The measure also extends arrangements for depositing oil and natural gas
profits into the Development Fund for
Iraq, and for oversight of the fund by the International Advisory and
Monitoring Board. . . .
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Seumas Milne, "The UN, a Fig Leaf for
War," Guardian, January 16, 2003
[. . . fewer than one per cent think Allied military involvement is helping
to improve security in their country.-- Sean Rayment, "Iraqis Support Attacks on British Troops,"
Telegraph, October 23, 2005]
[Administration officials said they are seeking the resolution now to spare
a new government the politically challenging burden of explicitly approving
the continued presence of foreign troops in Iraq. They also hope a U.N.
mandate authorizing troops through 2006 would encourage the United States'
coalition partners to remain in Iraq, and would avoid a potentially
contentious battle within the Security Council next year over whether to
renew the authorization even though a new Iraqi government has taken
power.--Colum Lynch and Bradley Graham, "U.N. Approval Sought To Extend Iraq Stay,"
Washington Post, November 8, 2005]
Hassan M. Fattah, "Iraqi
Factions Seek Timetable for U.S. Pullout," New York Times, November 22,
2005