LA TRANSFERENCIA DE SOBERANÍA en Iraq se está llevando a cabo sin aspavientos, incluso antes de la fecha oficial de transferencia de soberanía, el próximo 30 de junio:

With less than three weeks to go before sovereignty returns to Iraq, American and Iraqi officials are saying that much of the transfer has already happened.

The new interim Iraqi government has been formed, the old governing council has been dissolved and the majority of the ministries, including some crucial ones like oil, transportation and foreign affairs, have been turned over to Iraqi management. Meanwhile, both American advisers and Iraqi leaders said their roles had already shifted, with Iraqis running day-to-day affairs and Americans dispensing advice — and dollars.

Walid Saleh, planning director for the Water Resources Ministry, said his ministry used to be controlled by a team of six American water experts. Now, Mr. Saleh said, these advisers have become "consultants."

"They work for us," Mr. Saleh explained. "They are very good technicians and they give us expertise. But we make the decisions."