Iraq: The timetable for sovereignty is set, but Iraqis on the streets of Baghdad greeted plans for a provisional government with the simple question: "will there be elections?" The answer - eventually - has left Iraqis unconvinced the new political process will solve the crisis in the country. From Jack Fairweather in Baghdad
Under plans announced by the Governing Council over the weekend, a national assembly appointed by electoral colleges will be in place by June 2004, although the colleges themselves will be unelected.
The provisional government will then pave the way towards an election in the following year - but that, Iraqis say, is too long.
"I was so excited when I heard about a new government, but I am still waiting for democracy to come," said Jabbar Habid, an adviser on religious affairs at the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).
"Iraqis have to be given real power. But the new government will not represent the Iraqis. Only elections will bring stability to the country," said Habid.
Privately, senior CPA officials are also understood to have favoured elections to bring a sense of legitimacy to the government and take the wind out of the sails of anti-coalition guerrillas.
But they were put off by the scale of the task that would involve establishing some form of constitution - which has so far proved impossible amid competing religious and ethnic issues - and registering millions of voters for the first time.
Instead in crisis talks in Washington last week, the Bush administration opted to greatly expand the current 25 member Governing Council to a 100-strong national assembly but which gives the current council a large say in new electoral colleges.
The lack of elections has left few Iraqis enthused by the new process.
Although the clamour for self-rule has died down after a summer of lawlessness and failed public services, the mention of democracy raises impassioned debate among Iraqis.
But many feel let down by the US-appointed Governing Council that was meant to put an Iraqi face to government but has instead left ordinary Iraqis feeling increasingly out of touch with the political process.
The council is widely criticised for being little more than a talking shop, whilst the Americans retain real power - "They're thieves and American agents," as one taxi-driver put it outside council offices in the centre of Baghdad.
A manager at the Iraqi Assistance centre, set-up by US administrators to answer the concerns of Iraqis, said: "We thought when the Americans came we would bless us with democracy.
"Instead we got the Governing Council. People tell me they don't know who they are or what they want. No one gets to talk to them or see them except on television. It has been a bad introduction to what life might be like without Saddam," said the manager, "I don't think the new government is going to be but much different."
Governing Council member Dr Ebrahim Jafari said: "I know that many Iraqis don't feel involved in the political process. But I would assure the Iraqi people that the GC is desperate to bring democracy to Iraq. I am 55 years old and have never voted in an election. That is going to change if people are a little patient."