Iraqis Consider Bypassing Sunnis on Constitution

[swag]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/15/international/middleeast/15iraq.html?hp&ex=1124078400&en=17285774c31c334b&ei=5094&partner=homepage

By DEXTER FILKINS
Published: August 15, 2005

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 14 - Iraqi leaders remained deadlocked Sunday over major issues in the country's new constitution, raising the possibility they would fail to meet the Monday deadline and push the country toward a political crisis.

With several questions unresolved, Shiite leaders said Sunday that they were considering asking the National Assembly to approve the document without the agreement of the country's Sunni leaders. Such a move would probably provoke the Sunnis, whose participation in the political process is seen as crucial in the effort to marginalize the Sunni-dominated guerrilla insurgency.

Shiite and Kurdish leaders said they were also considering giving themselves more time to reach a deal, though it was by no means certain that they could without amending the interim constitution, the law currently in force. That would require a three-fourths majority of the 275-member National Assembly.

Without either meeting the deadline or successfully amending the new constitution, the interim law appears to require dissolving the National Assembly and holding new elections. Shiite and Kurdish leaders said late Sunday that they were discussing that possibility, but said that they hoped to avoid it.
. . . more

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Gee I guess now we know why all the hedging is going on.

The wheels have fallen off the bus. Pull out, no pull out. Going great, total goat-fuck. Stay the course, last man out is a fool.

Them neoclowns sure do run a good show!

Hey, whaddya suppose all them 150K/year mercs are gonna do when the eye-wrack project shuts down?

[rodeodance]

2. the only thing this article discusses is the federalism problem--nothing

about giving women right to vote, education, right to hold office etc etc.

[swag]

3. You are correct. This article doesn't discuss steroids in baseball either

Perhaps one day an intrepid journo-physicist will write the all-inclusive Grand Unified News Report.

Until then, please enjoy some other articles on the destruction of women's rights under the proposed Iraqi constitution:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=iraqi+women%27s+rights&btnG=Search+News

[Cocoa]

4. read down a little...

The negotiations were stalled on a number of issues, including the role of Islam in the state, the rights of women and the distribution of power between central and regional governments. Issues that had seemed to have been settled, like the sharing of oil revenues, came unraveled.

[swag]

5. I sit corrected.

Thank you.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. kick