Baghdad's city council held its inaugural meeting Monday with top US civil administrator hailing the event as perhaps the most important stride taken since Saddam Hussein's regime fell on April 9. "Today is a very important day in Baghdad. Indeed it is perhaps the most important day since April 9," Paul Bremer said as the meeting got underway. "Today marks the resumption of the democratic system in Baghdad which has not been here for 30 years."
| Wasn't there before then, either... |
He hailed the councilors' courage, at a time when Iraqis cooperating with the US-led coalition have been singled out in deadly attacks. "At a time when malicious people in Baghdad are making a threat to the peace-loving citizens of this wonderful city, you have shown courage and honour, perseverance and self confidence. The 37 of you ... have the highest responsibility of all. You have courageously volunteered for public service. You all share a desire to redress the wrongs of the former regime."
| "Along with the desire of a certain proportion of you to get next to the boodle..." |
Six of the 37 councilors are women and three are Kurds, and its 62-percent Shiite Muslim majority reflects the country's sectarian demographics. The previous night the council selected its first chairman, doctor Khaled Basheer Mirza, one of two Christians on the council. "I hope that you will cooperate with each other in the future in order to achieve development for a free Iraq," he said. |