It was meant to act as an interim authority in the rebel-controlled areas.

An interim Iraqi authority was deemed insufficient for those purposes.

You also mentioned the need to set up an interim authority.

That will have to happen quickly, since the interim authority is meant to last only six months.

The interim authority needs all the help it can get.

The interim authority will service until a permanent government can be chosen by the Iraqi people.

After that an interim Iraqi authority would likely assume power, the spokesman said.

On the key question of a future Iraqi government, American officials have called for a meeting in a month to chose an interim authority.

It is also clear that given the situation on the ground, the second priority has to be the formation of an interim Iraqi authority.

The first step would be the formation of an interim authority, with power over some government ministries.