Political Impasse Delays Iraq Parliament

[Rose Siding]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The speaker of parliament announced Sunday that he was postponing a planned session of parliament "for a few days," signaling that talks among political leaders had achieved no breakthrough on the issue of who will head the next government.

Speaker Adnan Pachachi had said the 275-member assembly would meet Monday to try to jump-start the stalled process of forming a new government four months after parliamentary elections.

But Shiite officials said they saw no purpose in convening parliament until all parties had agreed on the new prime minister and other top posts which require legislative approval. Sunni and Kurdish politicians oppose the Shiite choice of Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to head the next government.

Al-Jaafari has refused to step down, and Shiite officials have been reluctant to try to force him out for fear of shattering their political alliance.

Kurdish politician Mahmoud Othman said the nation's political parties had decided to delay the session until "all parties agree on all the nominees for the key posts."

Yahoo

[Ken Burch]

1. Great. Our troops and Iraqi civilians will continue to be killed

Just so that nobody in this "government" has to compromise.

Happy now, Dubya, Rummy, Pigeonslayer Dick?

Happy now, Hitchens, Hillary, and Joementum?

[Briar]

2. Strange

how these reports rarely mention that the US opposes al-Jaafari. He is lukewarm about privatising the Iraqi economy, you see.

[bemildred]

3. I guess the plan to give al Jaafari the bums rush isn't panning out. nt