"Because people have been suffering and have been afraid, their basic needs are paramount and they will not care so much about political actions," he said. That gives the new government time, he added, but also perhaps allows it to restrict democracy in the name of increasing security.
"Maybe they [the new Iraqi government] will need one month, two months, a year," said Abdul Majid, 50, a former engineer in the Water Department who was playing backgammon in a small patch of shade in downtown Baghdad this weekend.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday July 08, 2004 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 62 words Type of Material: Correction
Iraqi handover -- A news analysis about the new Iraqi government in Sunday's Section A stated that outgoing administrator L. Paul Bremer III did not give a farewell speech to the country. His spokesman has since said that Bremer taped an address that was given to Iraqi broadcast media. The spokesman said the address was not publicized to the Western news media.
"To gain security is a difficult thing. They need ways to do things that don't provoke the neighbors but also cannot provoke the internal forces."
But when asked whether he was comfortable with the activities of the fundamentalist Shiites who have been taking over police stations or with the anti-American Sunnis who now patrol Fallouja, he shook his head. "I am afraid to talk about these things," he said.
The greatest difficulty that lies ahead will be finding the balance between the country's many divisions: secular versus religious, Sunni versus Shiite, Arab versus Kurd.
"Even Iraqi nationalists have very different conceptions of what Iraq is, whether it is a country where Shiites predominate or where Sunnis predominate," said the University of Michigan's Cole.
But before Allawi can tackle that, he must clear the first hurdle: providing security.
In Mohammed Said's small grocery in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City, what matters is whether he will be able to let his 16-year-old daughter travel the six miles to school on her own without fear of kidnapping or robbery.
"I cannot always go with her. I am too tired," said the 65-year-old former Health Ministry worker, who only completed sixth grade himself.
For Said, as for so many others here, security is not just about peace of mind or safety but also about having a future. "I want my daughter to go for medical school, but of course if she cannot get to her classes ..." -- his voice trails off.
Then, a sliver of hope shone through -- tempered by the expectation of disappointment.
"It's been better the last few days, no [improvised bombs], no shooting. We see many police on the street," he said.
"It's only been five days the new government has been in place; we need to see them in action to see whether they are capable."
