NB: Lakhdar Brahimi (former Algerian Foreign Minister and an Arab nationalist) is the figure promoted by the State Department to oversee the development of a future Iraqi government, and the White House has signed on to that.
Is this really what we want? April 23, 2004 Report: UN envoy to Iraq calls Israeli policy 'biggest poison in region' By Haaretz Service United Nations special envoy for Iraq, Lakhdar Brahimi, claims there is a clear tie between the escalation of the situation in Iraq and Israeli policy, which he called "the biggest poison in the region," Israel Radio quoted him as saying Friday. The spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Fred Eckhard, said it was not acceptable for a senior UN official to make such comments about a member nation and said the remarks do not reflect Annan's opinions, Israel Radio reported. "The biggest poison in the region is the policy of Israeli power and the suffering of the Palestinians," Brahimi was quoted as telling a French radio station. He reportedly said many people both in the Mideast and outside it agree with the statement. Brahimi was also quoted as blaming Washington for supporting Israeli policy. Israel's deputy ambassador to the UN, Arye Mekel, said Jerusalem was considering how to respond to the comments, Israel Radio reported Friday.
