U.S. Says May Agree to Some Changes in Iraq Plan

[Barrett808]

U.S. Says May Agree to Some Changes in Iraq Plan
By Andrew Marshall and Adam Entous

BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States, facing objections from Iraq's most powerful Muslim cleric, said on Friday it may agree to some changes to its plans for handing over power to Iraqis by July 1 without holding elections first.

Meanwhile Turkey's powerful military sought to influence the future shape of Iraq, saying it believed a federation in neighboring Iraq based on ethnic lines -- meaning Kurdish autonomy -- would be "difficult and bloody."

Before talks between President Bush and the U.S. administrator of Iraq, Paul Bremer, the White House said it was eager for the United Nations to return to Iraq to help with the transition -- a shift that reflects U.S. concerns about growing Iraqi opposition to its plan.

"We are continuing to work within that framework (of a handover by July 1) and obviously there are discussions about ways to refine or improve that agreement," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. He would not discuss what changes might be made.

Iraq's most revered Shi'ite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has refused to support the U.S. plan for regional caucuses to select a transitional assembly which will pick an interim government to take sovereignty by July 1.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040116/ts_nm/iraq_dc&cid=564&ncid=1480

[montanacowboy]

1. We are going to have to agree

with Sistani all the way - this guy is in control - he can call the mob into the street and he can control the level of peace or violence. We are finally up against a rock and a hard place here - finally someone over there calling the shots and how their country will be run. I love it when Sistani says "elected NOT selected"...gee what a good idea - think it might rub off over here??????

[cspiguy]

2. this is p***ing me off - someone needs to tell the imams about democracy

it should not matter what some religious leader says, whether is Jerry Fallwell or some "revered" imam. Representative democracy should never allow mob rule - majority rule without a constitution to protect minority views, i.e. 60% shiites get 100% power. The UN should step in to prevent this or any Sharia abominations.