WASHINGTON, May 2: The United States has appointed a former civilian official to run Iraq in a bid to do away with the impression that Washington had submitted the country to its military occupiers, officials said on Friday.

Paul Bremer, the new civilian administrative boss for Iraq, was a counter-terrorism director in the Reagan administration. His appointment is also seen as a victory for the State Department over the Pentagon, which appointed a retired general, Jay Garner, to run Iraq after the fall of the Saddam government.

His appointment also comes amid growing pressure from Britain, Arab nations and members of the UN Security Council for reducing the military’s role in Iraq.

The US State Department and its boss Secretary Colin Powell also were campaigning for an increased civilian role in Baghdad. Although himself a retired general and hero of the first Iraq war, Mr Powell tried to resolve the Iraqi crisis through diplomatic maneuverings before Washington went to war. After the war, he has been campaigning for a greater say for the civilians in running the affairs of that country.

Mr Powell and the so-called Iraq “doves” in the Bush administration are opposed by a lobby of hardliners that includes Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld.

Some US officials were so concerned the move might look like a setback for Mr Rumsfeld, that they considered having him announce Mr Bremer’s appointment when he returned from Baghdad to make it look like a Pentagon initiative.

Officials at the State Department say that Mr Bremer’s appointment envisages an incremental turnover of administrative responsibilities to Iraqis as they demonstrate the capabilities to carry out functions.

“The end of combat operations reinforces the message to Iraqis and the international community that we are now focused on helping Iraqis rebuild their country,” said one official.