After pressuring the old Interior Minister, Nori al Badran, to resign, military governor Bremer appointed hardliner and long time Provisional Iraqi Governing Council member Samir Shakir Mahmoud Sumaiday to the Interior Minister Post.

Mahmoud's appointment, combined with the decision to lift sanctions against weapons sales and exports to Iraq, signal that the US is going forward with preparations for an all out "Iraqetization" of the occupation, with the intent of equipping the police force. Sumaiday is a proponent of an appointed new Iraqi government, a "security first" policy and a refusal to negotiate with violent or even dissident elements in Iraq.

Samir Shakir Mahmoud Sumaiday speaks excellent English, and has represented the Governing Council in both interviews and at meetings designed to promote the US vision of Iraq reconstruction - particularly the necessity of an extensive oil exploration and drilling program, and the use of the oil money to first and foremost equip a major security apparatus. He has acted as a liaison to socialist groups in Iraq, and represents a firmly "secularist" view on the shape of the new Iraqi legal code.

He was appointed to the Council on 13 July, 2003, and then made head of the Governing Council's Media Committee, equivalent to the Information Minister in all but name. One of his first jobs was explaining why the bodies of Saddam's sons were not buried immediately, but instead sent to Baghdad.

As a member of the governing council, he had been the most visible member of the "Select" camp of the make up of the new government, and admits that there has been "polarization" on the issue. At least one critic has stated that he himself was responsible for much of that polarization. Later he backed down saying that all council members believed in the importance of elections as quickly as possible.

In September of last year he issued an order to ban Al-Jazeera citing "bad behavior" on the part of the Arab network, and that the media would "get the signal loud and clear". His decision at the time was sharply criticized by the International Federation of Journalists. In October he issued a communiqué on the formation of a war crimes tribunal under a US imposed statute. He had also been the point man with the UN on Environmental and Cultural Issues during the late months of 2003.

In his spokesman role, he began early this year he to take point on criticizing militias, repeating the criticisms from the US Military that people "did not like the militias" and stating that they were "trying to destroy what we have built in Iraq". He gained visibility recently as condemning the attacks on Mercenaries in Fallujah - saying he felt as "much as any American." and was quick to blame the previous regime for the circumstances which lead to the attacks. He is frequently thought of as being "Bremer's man", prone to crowing with rhetoric such as:

"For the next 100 years this day will be mentioned as one of the most important in Iraq's history," said council member Samir Shaker Mahmoud. "This will be remembered in the annals of history as a turning point in relations between the state and citizens in this country and in the region."

He has also publicly endorsed the "flypaper" theory that asserts that Iraq is the central front against Al-Qaeda, in remarks made to the Italian Press in October of 2003.

His promotion to Interior Minister is in line with his membership on the Council's "Security Committee", it is he who drafted the recommendations for 2 Billion to be spent on security in Iraq to train an internal police force - and that the money should be spent quickly - within 18 months of being allocated.

For all of the increasing visibility of Samir Shakir Mahmoud Sumaiday as a spokesman - he is tall, white haired and sharp featured, and makes an imposing presence and is popular with reporters - his resume is extremely light. Described repeatedly as a "writer and entrepreneur", and having very high name recognition among Iraqis - polling at 84% - he is also someone who almost no one has an opinion of - with only 15% having a favorable or unfavorable view of him.

However, taken together, his public statements paint a clear picture as someone who has been unwavering in toeing the US line on Iraq, and an active and charismatic spokesman for it. His promotion to Interior Minister sends a clear signal that the US intends to escalate, not negotiate, through he current crisis.