In Iraq, we have an expression: same donkey, different saddle. Iraq's long-heralded interim government hasnow formally assumed sovereignty. Official labels and tags have duly changed. The US administrator will now bean ambassador, while Sheikh Ghazi al Yawar and Iyad Allawi, US-appointed members of the former governingcouncil, are to be known as president and prime minister. To formalise the change, the UN has already issued aresolution under which "multinational forces" will replace "US-led forces". On the issueof control over US troops, the message is clear: the US forces are there to stay only because "Iraqipeople" has asked them to. But which Iraqi people? Do they mean the new administration headed by theCIA's Iyad Allawi? And why does all this sound strangely familiar?