Washington's chosen ones face the axe:

"The UN envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, who is in charge of picking the new government in consultation with the coalition, made it clear that the council should disband.

Under a new UN proposal, Mr Brahimi is expected to return to Baghdad on Saturday to finish discussions and then select Iraqis for 29 positions - a prime minister, who will head the government, a ceremonial president and two vice-presidents, plus 25 cabinet positions, US officials said. "