Sovereign necessity:

"The US is now claiming that the new administration will not be qualified to exercise full powers because it has not been elected and therefore has no legitimate right to amend or pass laws. There could hardly be a more disingenuous argument: the US-led coalition has changed its mind three times on how to restore the Iraqi government but in spite of popular demands has consistently opposed holding early elections. And the laws which are now in place have been decreed by the coalition authority and rubber-stamped by the governing council which it appointed without a wisp of public legitimisation.

There is only one ray of hope in all this mess. Since so little has yet been decided, it is still possible to insist on the maximum transfer of power, not only because the Iraqis are entitled to it, but also because anything less will only reinforce scepticism and mistrust in the Middle East."