US chief administrator in Iraq admits failure of intelligence: paper

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, November 11, 2003

US chief administrator in Iraq admits failure of intelligence: paper

Terrorists would step up attacks in Iraq in the coming months but the US-led coalition lacks the intelligence network to counter them, the British Times newspaper reported Monday.

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Terrorists would step up attacks in Iraq in the coming months but the US-led coalition lacks the intelligence network to counter them, the British Times newspaper reported Monday.

As billions of dollars for reconstruction work start flowing into Iraq, several hundred terrorists from Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Saudi Arabia might intensify their campaign to drive out US and British forces, the paper quoted the coalition's chief administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, as saying.

"There are going to be increased attacks and increased terrorism because the terrorists can see the reconstruction dynamic is moving in our direction," Bremer said. "Unless our intelligence gets better, we are going to have a problem," he added.

Bremer admitted that coalition forces were groping in the dark against the foreign infiltrators and loyalists of Iraqi former regime who have already killed hundreds of soldiers, Iraqi "collaborators," aid workers and bystanders.

To improve intelligence gathering, Bremer said he was considering controversial Iraqi interior ministry's proposals for a "special force" drawn from individual members of militias belonging to Iraqi political parties.

It was "not impossible" that a few former members of Iraqi former President Saddam Hussein's intelligence service could be included, Bremer said, stressing that all recruits would be carefully vetted, properly trained and tightly controlled.

Insisting that the coalition would establish best democracy forthe Middle East before leaving, the civilian chief of the Coalition's Provisional Authority also told the paper that there was no chance of US President George W. Bush withdrawing US troops prematurely, despite the worsening violence in Iraq and the US' forthcoming presidential election.

Coalition troops could be asked to stay on by a future Iraqi government after sovereignty has been transferred, Bremer predicted.

"If they want, and my guess is they will want coalition forces in some numbers still to be here. They will do what every country does and sign a status of forces agreement," Bremer said. He acknowledged that the US military could have shown greater sensitivity towards the Iraqis, and that the need to protect itself from terrorism risks further alienated the population.

It's not comfortable being occupied. It's not comfortable being an occupying power," Bremer added. He also urged the Iraqi Governing Council to speed up the process of drafting a constitution and holding elections.

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