http://www.juancole.com/2004_02_01_juancole_archive.html#107666233949805866
This seems at first sight to be such a sudden and complete turn-around, it makes me wonder -- were the diplomatic dolts at Defense ("Oh yeah, France will come around") completely taken in and outfoxed by an old Arab diplomat?
After all, Brahimi was so successful in conveying the impression that he was against direct elections that both the US and the IGC have lobbied for months for his appointment to this position:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-01-20-us-un-iraq_x.htm
He was their only candidate. And they did so seemingly over his steadfast resistance, saying he just didn't want to undertake such a heavy task. They even tried to enlist his daughter Rym (a CNN correspondent in Baghdad) in their cause.
But maybe it was all a trick. After all, what he really said was that direct elections couldn't possibly be held before the June 30 deadline. Which can be read two ways.
Michael