New Iraqi leader vows to crush terrorists
Iraq’s interim prime minister warned today that the “forces of terror” would be crushed as his new government took the oath of office to assume power only hours after US authorities handed over sovereignty.
Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi placed his hand on the Koran and then promised to lead his people to a better future, delivering a sweeping speech sketching out some of his goals for the country.
He urged people not to be afraid of the “outlaws” fighting against “Islam and Muslims”, and assured them that “God is with us”.
“I warn the forces of terror once again,” he said firmly. “We will not forget who stood with us and against us in this crisis.”
Standing before a bank of Iraqi flags, Allawi also appealed for an end to attacks on police and security forces, who have borne the brunt of assaults waged by insurgents in the days leading to the handover.
“The army is the Iraqi army, not the Saddam Army,” he said. “They are our brothers and our sons.”
The handover of power to the new interim Iraqi government came two days sooner than planned – an apparent bid to outflank insurgents and prevent them from trying to sabotage the step toward self-rule.
The last weeks have been marred by car bombings, kidnappings and other violence that has killed hundreds of Iraqis and seemed designed to disrupt the transfer, announced by the Bush administration late last year.
“Before us is a challenge and a burden and we ask God almighty to give us the patience and guide us to take this country whose people deserves all goodness,” said President Ghazi al-Yawer after taking his oath.
“May God protect Iraq and its citizens.”
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