Future in his hands ... Mohamed al-Jabiri
  holds the final draft of the blueprint for a
  post-Saddam justice system.  Photo: Edwina Pickles
 

 The United States has chosen a successor to Saddam Hussein from Iraq's notoriously fractious opposition groups,
 according to a former Iraqi diplomat who lives in Sydney.

 Mohamed al-Jabiri, who has just returned from in talks with Washington, said the White House has given its "blessing"
 to the head of the Iraqi National Congress, Ahmed Chalabi, to lead a transitional coalition government in Iraq once
 Saddam has been deposed.

 Dr al-Jabiri, who talked to Mr Chalabi over the phone last month, said: "He told me that he would take over.
 He has the blessing of the White House and the State Department."

 He said Mr Chalabi had been in talks with another major Iraqi opposition group, the Supreme Council for
 Islamic Revolution in Iraq and the Iranian Government while in Tehran.

 Mr Chalabi moved to Sala-huddin in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq last week, ahead of an expected
 United States-led invasion. Opposition forces will hold a summit in northern Iraq on February 15.

 http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/03/1044122320739.html
 
 lynn
 

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