"I want the pillaging to stop and for security and stability to return to Iraq ... even if this is achieved by (US retired general Jay) Garner," Farouk El Fytean said, referring to the man Washington has named as the interim administrator for Iraq.

"It is in the interests of the Iraqi people for American soldiers to intervene and put an end to the destruction," he continued, adding that many of his counterparts agreed with him.

"I have spoken to colleagues, and we agreed to stay at our posts and to cooperate until the new government is installed."

Nevertheless, Farouk went on to say that he was disappointed by the lack of resistance in Baghdad as US forces marched in.

"If that's not because the president (Saddam Hussein) was killed in an attack, then there was treason," he said, adding that he thought Saddam was dead or in hiding and very unlikely to have escaped abroad.

SPACE.WIRE