Sunnis ask to delay constitution again, say they have little input

[Fleshdancer]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002448104_iraq22.html

Sunnis ask to delay constitution again, say they have little input

By Los Angeles Times and The Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Political groups representing Iraq's minority Sunni Arabs called yesterday for new delays in approving a national constitution, complaining that they had been cut out of final-hour negotiations between Shiite Muslims and Kurds and appealing to U.S. and U.N. officials to intervene.

Also yesterday, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a leading Republican senator and prospective presidential candidate, said the war in Iraq has destabilized the Middle East and is looking more like the Vietnam conflict from a generation ago. Hagel, who received two Purple Hearts and other military honors for his service in Vietnam, also reiterated his position that the United States needs to develop a strategy to leave Iraq.

Iraq's transitional National Assembly is scheduled to approve a final draft of the country's first democratic constitution today after missing its Aug. 15 deadline, when it voted instead to give itself one more week to seek compromises on key issues.

[maddezmom]

1. it's not looking too promising

[wli]

2. probably best to split Iraq up

Not that that would work well with Bushler's world conquest plots.

[Fleshdancer]

3. they won't split up the oil

and from what I understand, the area of Iraq where most Sunnis live doesn't have much oil. :shrug:

[maddezmom]

4. Reuters: Deadlock, doubts as Iraq ticks down to deadline

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Hours from a midnight deadline that could plunge Iraq's fledgling political system into crisis, there was no sign of an end to deadlock on Monday over a new constitution and profound doubt over where that would lead.

Parliament was summoned for another special evening session at 7 p.m. (1500 GMT) to hear proposals from party leaders and legislators who have been working on a draft in committee. But as with a similar meeting a week ago, the outcome was unclear.

~snip~

Though portrayed in Washington as a key test of Iraq's ability to hold together and overcome the threat of civil war that looms behind the prospect of a U.S. troop withdrawal, there is little sign that clinching a deal would affect the violence.

Gunmen killed 10 people, including eight policemen, as they drove in a minivan north of Baghdad on Monday. Sunni Arab rebels have targeted the new, U.S.-trained forces of the Shi'ite-led interim government. In the capital and other cities, reports of daily sectarian murders and kidnappings keep people on edge.


more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050822/ts_nm/iraq_dc;_

[maddezmom]

5. Bloomberg:Iraq Negotiators Near Deal on Constitution, Jaafari Aide Says

``We have assurances that leaders have agreed on nearly all items,'' Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's spokesman, Laith Kubba, said in a telephone interview today from the capital, Baghdad. ``Substantial progress has been made.''

While Kurdish and Shiite Muslim leaders have agreed on the broad points, the ``difficulty now is for all the other groups, including the Sunnis, to agree on the text too,'' Kubba said.

The constitution is intended to pave the way for general elections by Dec. 31 and be the foundation for a new government that the U.S. is counting on to take a greater role in battling an insurgency and easing pressure on the U.S. military.

Iraq's parliament voted to extend the original Aug. 15 deadline by a week to give negotiators more time to debate issues including the role of Islam, self-determination and control over oil reserves and production
~snip~

more:http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=a58.pWUdh6Zo

doesn't seem to be much progress :shrug:

[napi21]

6. So what is the real reason the three groups can't come to an agreement?

Is it the oil, or is it such a difference of opinion in their beliefs? Are we, here in the US thinking that it all about oil because of OUR own interests???

Everything I hear, the most important thing to them is a difference in political opinions. One wants total secular gov't, the others want a theocracy but differ in their religious views.

I remember hearing somewhere that Iraq used to be several different areas and after some conflict, they were combined. Maybe it's time to let them split again. I thought the idea was to let them do what THEY wanted!!!!!!

[StrafingMoose]

7. Might help you....

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1468622,001300180001.htm

"The deadline for a new constitution already was extended by a week last Monday after negotiators failed to agree on a number of contentious issues, including federalism, distribution of Iraq's oil wealth, power relationships among the provinces and the role of the Shi'ite clerical hierarchy in Najaf."