Iraq: 'Worst of all worlds'

2004-04-05 07:09

Washington - Joseph Biden, an influential senator on US foreign policy, warned on Sunday that Iraq could fall into civil war after the United States hands over power to Iraqis on June 30.

Biden suggested that a United Nations high commissioner be appointed to oversee the country's political transition, and that a NATO force of some 20 000 soldiers provide security.

It will take three years to form a new Iraqi army, Biden told Fox News.

"We're going to end up with worst of all worlds," he said. "We're going to end up with a civil war in Iraq if in fact we decide we can turn this over, including the bulk of the security, to the Iraqis between now and then."

US overseer in Iraq, Paul Bremer, could be replaced by a UN high commissioner who would answer directly to the UN Security Council, Biden said.

Difficult decisions

"And thus far, the plan - I don't see a plan," he said. "I don't know who's going to replace Bremer on June 30, because whomever it is is going to be put in the position of having to make some very difficult decisions."

"They're going to be very unpopular but are necessary," he continued.

"As long as it's an American making those decisions, America is going to be the one who gets the brunt of all the anger and terror," Biden warned.

Biden, who is the highest-ranking Democrat in the senate foreign relations committee, said he has spoken to US allies about sending a NATO force to Iraq.

"The most that we could get in there initially is 20 000 NATO forces," he said.

"If we had 20 000 forces coming in over the next three months, they could take over the entire responsibility of the border patrol," Biden added. "They could have all the American forces out of the northern sector, where the Kurds are."

By using NATO forces, he said, "we could have our crack marines and crack forces in the (Sunni) triangle, bringing order".

The "Sunni triangle" is a hotbed of violent opposition to the US occupation by Sunni Muslims.

- AFP