Well, that was very smooth! However we’re defining "sovereignty" these days, we’ve symbolically handed it over in Iraq. It was done nicely, fairly quietly, and a bit early.

In some regions of the world, such as Quebec, the word "sovereignty" has become the preferred synonym for national independence. With our our independence day approaching, I think they had to find another word.

The etymology of the word "sovereignty", with origins in the Latin "super", conveys the idea of "overness". For future reference, here is the way the term is traditionally defined:

Supremacy of authority or rule as exercised by a sovereign or sovereign state.
Royal rank, authority, or power.
Complete independence and self-government.
A territory existing as an independent state.
(American Heritage Dictionary)

1 a : supreme power esp. over a body politic b : freedom from external control : AUTONOMY
2 : one that is sovereign; especially : an autonomous state
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Law)

The quality or state of being sovereign, or of being a sovereign; the exercise of, or right to exercise, supreme power; dominion; sway; supremacy; independence; also, that which is sovereign; a sovereign state; as, Italy was formerly divided into many sovereignties. "Woman desiren to have sovereignty As well over their husband as over their love." (Chaucer)
(Webster’s)

n 1: government free from external control 2: royal authority; the dominion of a monarch [syn: reign]
(World Net)

of God, his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure
(Dan. 4:25, 35; Rom. 9:15-23; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 4:11).
(Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary)

Thesaurus
Entry: sovereignty
Function: noun
Definition: domination
Synonyms: ascendancy, ascendant, dominance, dominion, jurisdiction, kingship, masterdom, preeminence, prepotence, prepotency, primacy, supremacy, supreme power, sway
Concept: controlling
(Roget’s New Millennium™ Thesaurus, First Edition)

Julia Preston at the New York Times has this to add for tomorrow’s publication of "Defining Transfer of Formal Sovereignty" in The New York Times:

"The notion of sovereignty arose in 16th-century France, when the sovereign was a monarch, not a country. But over time, sovereignty became an attribute of nations that created their own governments and were in charge of their own affairs.

According to its charter, the United Nations is founded on the principle of the "sovereign equality" of its member countries; they pledge to "refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state." But the charter does not neatly spell out what sovereignty is or should be.

Therein lies the challenge for Iraq. While the United States and its military partners retain control over security, difficult legal and political questions will persist as to whether Iraq’s restored sovereignty can be called complete."