War on Iraq Virtually Ended

U.S. commenced discussion on establishing the post-war interim administration with Iraqi leaders on Tuesday as war on Iraq is now virtually ended.

U.S. invited about 100 Iraqis including leaders of Kurds, Sunni and Shiite Muslims and Iraqi exiles to Nasiriya and held the first national conference to establish the interim administration on Tuesday. The moderator was Zalmay Khalilzad, the White House envoy to Iraq. Retired Gen. Jay Garner, director of Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for Post-war Iraq also attended along with representatives from Britain, Australia and Poland — countries that contributed forces to the coalition.

However, the largest Iraqi Shiite group, the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq boycotted the conference proclaiming they can not accept an interim administration led by U.S. The biggest two Kurdish fractions, Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iraq and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan were also unwilling to compromise and blamed each other even before the conference.

Meanwhile, Major General Stanley McChrystal, vice director of operations of the Joint Staff in Washington indicated that the war was virtually over saying “the major combat engagements are over” in the Pentagon briefing Tuesday.

Eun-Taek Hong euntack@donga.com