Editing Iraqi Interim Government (section)

==Organization==
[[Image:Allawi1.jpg|frame|left|Interim Prime Minister [[Iyad Allawi]].]]
The Iraqi Interim Government was recognized by the [[U.S.]], the [[United Nations]], the [[Arab League]] and several other countries as being the [[sovereignty|sovereign]] government of Iraq (see [[Iraqi sovereignty]] for more information). The U.S. retained significant [[de facto]] power in the country and critics contend that the government existed only at the pleasure of the United States and other coalition countries and considered it a [[U.S.]] [[puppet government]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iraqis rise up against 16 years of 'made in the USA' corruption |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/iraqis-rise-against-16-years-made-usa-corruption/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=openDemocracy |language=en}}</ref> whose military forces still remain in Iraq. 

===The law and the head of government===
The government's [[head of government]] was [[Prime Minister of Iraq|Prime Minister]] [[Iyad Allawi]] and his deputy was the influential and charismatic [[Barham Salih]]. The ceremonial [[head of state]] was [[President of Iraq|President]] [[Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer]]. 

Absent a permanent constitution, the new government operated under the [[Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period]].

Allawi was a former member of the [[Iraq Interim Governing Council]] and was chosen by the council to be the Interim [[Prime Minister of Iraq]] to govern the country beginning with the United States' handover of sovereignty (June 28, 2004) until national elections, scheduled for early 2005. Although many believe the decision was reached largely on the advice of [[United Nations]] special envoy to Iraq, [[Lakhdar Brahimi]], the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported that Brahimi only endorsed him reluctantly after pressure from U.S. officials, including [[Paul Bremer]], the former US Iraqi Administrator.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2004/585/585p15.htm | title=IRAQ: US still calls the shots | work=[[Green Left Weekly]] | date=29 June 2004 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008044238/http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2004/585/585p15.htm | archive-date=8 October 2008 | first=Doug | last=Lorimer | access-date=27 June 2013}}</ref> Two weeks later, Brahimi announced his resignation, due to "great difficulties and frustration."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/brahimi-quits-post-as-un-envoy-in-iraq-1.125060|title=Brahimi quits post as UN envoy in Iraq|last=Shamir|first=Shlomo|date=13 June 2004|work=[[Haaretz]]|access-date=27 June 2013}}</ref> Allawi is often described as a moderate [[Shia Islam|Shia]] (a member of Iraq's majority faith) chosen for his secular background and ties to the United States. However, his image has been undermined with the media suggesting that Allawi was Washington's [[puppet government|puppet]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Iraq's New S.O.B. | work=[[Newsweek]] | date=July 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/26/opinion/26dowd.html?_r=0|title=Dance of the Marionettes|last=Dowd|first=Maureen|author-link=Maureen Dowd|date=26 September 2004|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=27 June 2013}}</ref>