WASHINGTON, Feb 21 Kyodo The Unit...

WASHINGTON, Feb 21 Kyodo

The United States plans to take glutted unilateral control of Iraq if it topples President Saddam Hussein, the Washington office reported in the Friday Internet edition.

Citing a ''now-finalized'' postwar blueprint described by way of U.S. officials and other sources, the newspaper said the administration of U President George W Bush is considering setting up an interim administration headed by means of a yet-to-be-named American civilian of the like kind as a former U state governor or ambassador.

''Once security was established and weapons of mass destruction were located and disabled, a U administrator would move the civilian government and direct reconstruction and humanitarian aid,'' the newspaper said.

The Washington pillar also said some 20 to 25 Iraqis would be appointed on the U.S. as a member of a ''consultative council,'' with no governing responsibility, to assist U authorities.

While building security and as extended as U.S. forces are in the nation Gen. Tommy Franks, the head of the U Central Command, would maintain military command it said.

Initial provender supplies are to be provided by means of the U.S., but other countries will also be recruited to take part in relief and reconstruction tasks below U.S. supervision, the paper said.

The timing of this stir would be decided by Franks and Washington, it said.

The Bush administration has declined to indicate by what means long U.S. forces would remain in post-Saddam Iraq, although Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman told Congres last Tuesday that it might take about pair years.

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