US unveils civil administration plan

THE United States unveils a civil administration for postwar Iraq today, amid profound Arab suspicion about Washington's motives and widespread calls that the United Nations be given the job instead.

The team, headed by retired US General Jay Garner, says it wants quickly to hand over rule to Iraqis, but Arab analysts say Iraqis are unlikely to accept rule by foreigners on any terms.

"The idea is that we work ourselves out of a job as soon as we can," Garner's spokesman Nathan Jones said.