In the event of Saddam's removal, a temporary military government led by the U.S. will replace it - 2002-10-11

According to a report published today, the Bush administration is formulating a plan whereby, in the event of Saddam Hussein's fall in Iraq, a temporary military government led by the U.S. will take its place. The New York Times cites an unnamed White House official stating that this plan includes the establishment of a tribunal to address the war crimes of Iraqi leaders and a transitional period. At the end of this transitional period, which will last several years, the government will be handed over to elected civilians. According to the newspaper, the Bush administration predicts that Saddam's opponents will not take power after his fall because the main mission during the transitional period will be to find weapons of mass destruction. The report states that the White House does not want the same chaos in Iraq that occurred after the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan. The newspaper quotes senior officials in the Bush administration saying that the plan for establishing a temporary military government has not yet received final approval. The report does not clarify whether the details of the plan have been discussed with U.S. allies. The newspaper adds that the proposed model by the Bush administration for the Iraqi government after Saddam is the same one used in Japan at the end of World War II.