Law and order and reconstruction became the United States’ focus in Iraq, but whose law and order it will be remains unclear.
With government buildings bombed or looted into oblivion, and public documents destroyed, Army specialists now must administer justice and sort out property claims.

“It’s going to be a mess,” said Sergeant Anna Brogan, an army civil affairs specialist, to an Agence-France Press reporter April 18. “We did this in Bosnia: ‘This is my house. No this is my house. Well, I have a certificate.’”

Baghdad street scenes appeared almost the same as before the war except for a few U.S. troops mingling at each street corner.
Combat-oriented Marines moved out of the capital, replaced by Army units specializing in civil affairs and policing. Top priorities of the U.S. reconstruction effort, the largest since World War II, are restoring water, electricity, and sewage services as well as medical care and policing.

Claims to entire cities must be weighed, as U.S. military analysts figure out what to make of Baghdad’s new self-proclaimed Iraqi administration.
Mohammad Mohsen Zubeidi, a veteran anti-Saddam politician, declared himself head of a new interim government for the Baghdad region as he appeared with his press entourage in front of AFP reporters. He already appointed a governor and mayor for the leaderless city, claiming they were elected by tribal and religious groups with consent of occupying U.S. forces.

“Anyone declaring themselves as mayor or anything else is just not true,” said Captain Joe Plenzler, a spokesman for the Marines speaking to the press Wednesday, Apr. 15 “The U.S. government has not appointed anyone.”

Middle Eastern foreign policy makers responded negatively to U.S. requests to lift sanctions on Iraq immediately. In a joint statement they asserted the United Nations should not lift sanctions from Iraq until a democratic government is firmly in place.

“Now Iraq is under an occupying power and any request for lifting sanctions must come when there is a legitimate government which represents the people,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal to Reuters Friday, Apr. 18.

Foreign Ministers of Iraq’s neighboring countries Turkey, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, as well as Egypt and Bahrain, met in the Saudi capital to discuss the implications of Iraq’s swift defeat by the U.S. Some Arab leaders fear Washington might install a puppet regime that will align itself with Israel.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also consider the competition posed in the oil industry by opening up the world’s second largest oil wealth to the world market.

“If what they (the occupying forces) intend is the exploitation of Iraqi oil, it will not have any legitimate basis,” said al-Faisal.
All the countries present, except Iran and Syria, are allies of the U.S. and provided some form of support for the invasion.