THE face of America’s planned new government for Iraq was to emerge from the shadows today when a retired US Army general, selected by the Pentagon to replace Saddam Hussein, was scheduled to name Baghdad’s new administration.

In a sign, however, of the uncertainty hanging over the post-war arrangements, American officials cancelled Lieutenant-General Jay Garner’s first public appearance hours before it was due to take place. No explanation was given.

General Garner was expected to unveil the new authority that will be in charge of the civil administration in territory captured by US and British troops. He may set up an advance headquarters at Baghdad’s international airport, where his staff would be able to begin running operations as soon as Saddam’s regime collapses.

Paul Wolfowitz, the US Deputy Defence Secretary, said yesterday that the first challenge for the US-led administration would be to get food and medicine to the people and ensure that crucial infrastructure, such as water systems and sewerage, were functioning as soon as possible. Later the new government is hoping to reopen schools and ministries and even issue a new currency, without Saddam’s face.

Even before the mission is launched, however, General Garner is finding the going tough. He has been condemned by Washington’s critics for running a modern colonial government imposed from abroad, which many fear could become a model for future post-conflict governments. He has been criticised by America’s allies for ignoring the United Nations, which so far has been given only a walk-on part by Washington. There are also disputes within the Bush Administration about the selection of his staff.

Finally, the more damage is done to the country’s infrastructure, and the longer fighting rages, the harder his task will be. Crucially, it is not clear whether the civilian population in Iraq and the country’s civil service will co-operate with the new American authority.

Nevertheless, the former Vietnam veteran and close friend of Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defence Secretary, insists that he will establish a transitional authority lasting a few months and later hand over power to an Iraqi interim administration.

Mr Wolfowitz, the architect of the war against Iraq, made clear yesterday that the process from a US-led government to a broad Iraqi one will take months — not least because of a lack of credible Iraqi opposition figures to lead a government. He said that the operation would be more complex than the one by which Kurds took over the reins of northern Iraq from allied forces at the end of the Gulf War in 1991. That transition, which General Garner helped to oversee as commander of US forces in the region, took half a year.

“This is a more complicated situation. It probably will take more time than that,” Mr Wolfowitz told Fox News.

One of the most sensitive issues is the legitimacy of the US-installed government, to be made up largely of former American military officers, diplomats, aid workers and half a dozen British officials, who have been attached to General Garner’s staff over the past few months.

The new administration is particularly controversial because it does not include any formal role for the UN, which has been directly involved in most recent post-conflict resolutions, in particular in Afghanistan, Kosovo and East Timor.

The European Union and other nations have given warning that they will not assist in postwar reconstruction of Iraq unless the UN is given a “central role” in shaping the country’s future. America has conceded the need for “a role” for the UN, but so far has limited the contribution to humanitarian aid. This dispute could also cause splits between Britain and America. On the eve of Tony Blair’s latest summit with President Bush in Belfast, Labour MPs queued up to urge the Prime Minister to prevent Washington from dominating the reconstruction of Iraq, with a Cabinet minister, Peter Hain, suggesting the UN should be “in charge”.

While Mr Blair supports the inevitable period of military rule under American and British forces, he wants it to be as short as possible. For the second stage, Britain is proposing the idea of a UN-sponsored conference that would pave the way for an interim Iraqi-led authority, advised by the allies and the UN. Finally, there would be representative government after elections.

Chris Smith, the former Cabinet minister who spearheaded the Commons revolts against Mr Blair last month, said it was essential that reconstruction was determined by the international community at the UN rather than just by the Americans.

Shared power

Japan 1945: After the Second World War, Japan accepted a US military government under General Douglas MacArthur, which oversaw reconstruction and installed an elected civilian government

Kosovo 1999: After Nato forces entered Kosovo, a UN administration ran the government

East Timor 1999: Australian-led forces oversaw withdrawal of Indonesian troops. A UN authority was installed and elections were held. Power was transferred to Timorese government

Afghanistan 2002: An interim authority was agreed at a conference organised by the UN. Transitional government was later elected at an assembly of traditional tribal and religious leaders. Elections to be held

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