Jay Garner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jay Garner
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Garner in 1996
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| Director of the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance of Iraq | |
| In office April 21, 2003 – May 12, 2003 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Saddam Hussein (as President of Iraq) |
| Succeeded by | Paul Bremer (as Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 15, 1938 Arcadia, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Florida State University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1962–1997 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
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| Battles/wars | |
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Jay Montgomery Garner (born April 15, 1938) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. A lieutenant general is a very high rank in the army. In 2003, he was chosen to lead the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) in Iraq. This happened after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. His job was to help rebuild Iraq and provide aid. He became the temporary leader of Iraq after Saddam Hussein. However, Garner was soon replaced by Ambassador Paul Bremer. Bremer then led a new group called the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).
Contents
Jay Garner's Early Life and School
Jay Garner was born in Arcadia, Florida, in the U.S. Before going to college, he served in the United States Marine Corps. This is another branch of the U.S. military.
He later attended Florida State University. In 1962, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. He also has a master's degree in public administration from Shippensburg State University. This degree helps people learn how to manage government organizations.
Jay Garner's Military Career
In 1962, Jay Garner became an army second lieutenant. This was his first officer rank. He served two times in the Vietnam War. Later, he led two air defense units in Germany. Air defense units protect against attacks from the air.
He also worked at Fort Bliss, Texas. Garner helped create the Patriot missile system. This system is used to shoot down enemy missiles. He commanded missile batteries during the Gulf War. After that war, he was put in charge of keeping Kurdish areas in Iraq safe.
Later, he became the commander of the United States Army Space and Strategic Defense Command. He worked on President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative. This was a plan for a missile shield program. Garner finished his army career as Assistant Vice Chief of Staff. He retired in 1997 as a lieutenant general.
After leaving the army, Garner became president of SYColeman. This company works on defense projects. They design systems used in missile defense. He was on a special panel that advised President Donald Rumsfeld on space and missile threats. He also worked closely with the Israel Defense Forces.
Jay Garner's Role in the Iraq War
In 2003, Jay Garner was chosen to lead the efforts to rebuild Iraq after the war. He had three deputies, including British Major-General Tim Cross. The Bush administration thought Garner was a good choice. He had done similar work in northern Iraq before. General Garner's job was to help Iraqis set up a new government. He also had to help rebuild the country after Saddam Hussein was removed from power.
Challenges After the War
After Saddam Hussein's government fell in Baghdad, there was a lot of chaos. People looted buildings, and there was general disorder across Iraq. Important places like the national museum were attacked. The country's basic services, like electricity and water, were in ruins. Government offices were broken into, and records were destroyed. The situation in Iraq became very chaotic. The only government building protected by the occupying forces was the oil ministry.
Many Iraqi leaders who had been living outside Iraq returned. The Bush administration chose Lieutenant General Jay Garner to lead the Coalition Provisional Authority. This was a temporary government. Its goal was to bring order back to Iraq. Garner planned to choose some officials from the old Iraqi government to help lead the country.
Reconstruction Plans and Iraqi Leaders
Garner started reconstruction efforts in March 2003. His plan was for Iraqis to hold elections within 90 days. He also wanted U.S. troops to quickly move out of cities to a desert base. Jalal Talabani, who worked with Garner before the war, helped choose a new Iraqi government. This would be Iraq's first liberal government.
Garner told Time magazine that many people in a totalitarian system, like Saddam's, had to join the Baath Party to get ahead. He said they would not have a problem with most of them. But they would remove those who were part of Saddam's "thug mechanism."
On April 15, 2003, General Garner held a meeting in Nasiriyah. He and 100 Iraqis discussed Iraq's future. Another meeting was held on April 28, 2003, with 250 Iraqis attending. From this group, Garner's team chose five Iraqis to be key leaders in the new government:
- Masoud Barzani led the Kurdistan Democratic Party.
- Jalal Talabani led the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
- Abdul Aziz al-Hakim led the Supreme Assembly for Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
- Ahmed Chalabi represented the Iraqi National Congress.
- Ayad Allawi led the Iraqi National Accord.
Garner's choices caused some discussion among Iraqis. Many Iraqis welcomed the changes. But others were not happy. Shi'a Iraqis felt they were not well represented. Three of the five chosen leaders were from a Sunni background. One was mixed, and only one was purely Shi'a. Shi'a people make up over 60% of Iraq's population. They felt left out. Also, many Iraqis felt this new government was not chosen in a democratic way, as the U.S. had promised.
Garner's Replacement
A plan for elections in Iraq began on May 6, 2003. However, this plan was stopped on November 14, 2003. General Garner was replaced by a new American Ambassador to Iraq, Paul Bremer. Bremer took over as the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority.
After Garner was replaced, it was planned that an Iraqi government would take power in June 2004. Ayad Allawi was chosen to lead this temporary Iraqi authority. Allawi had been a member of the Baath Party before. He also had experience working with the CIA.
There was a lot of talk about why Garner was replaced so quickly on May 11, 2003. Some people thought he was removed because he disagreed with the White House. He wanted early elections, just 90 days after Baghdad fell. He believed the new Iraqi government should decide how to run the country and what to do with its resources. Garner said, "I don't think [Iraqis] need to go by the U.S. plan... It's their country... their oil." Some experts also criticized Garner for focusing on elections instead of improving Iraq's economy.
Garner was interviewed in No End in Sight. This was a 2007 documentary movie that was critical of how the Iraq occupation was handled.
See also
In Spanish: Jay Garner para niños
