Happy Iraqi Sovereignty Day!

U.S. occupation chief Bremer heads home

Bremer broke the surprise news to his staff at his 8 a.m. meeting with senior advisers from the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA. He told them the transfer of sovereignty would happen in two hours. Only six of the 25 present had any idea the handover had been moved ahead, the U.S. official said.

Several officials said the deception was meant to undercut the ability of Iraqi insurgents to spoil the handover with a hail of car bombs and rocket-propelled grenades.