Reply #19: Latest from The New York Times [View All]

[Jack Rabbit]

From The New York Times
Dated Monday August 15

Iraqis Delay Meeting to Submit Charter as Deadlock Continues
By Dexter Filkins

Baghdad -- Iraqi leaders postponed by several hours today a special session to submit a draft constitution to the National Assembly, giving themselves more time to work on a document that has been plagued by deadlocks over major issues that include federalism and the role of Islam. While they delayed the special session of the National Assembly about four hours, they expected to submit the document later tonight, according to Iraqi leaders involved in the process. However, it is still unclear whether that will give the assembly time to debate it or vote on it by the end of today.

The outstanding hurdles to agreement on the draft had raised the possibility that the Iraqi leaders would fail to meet today's deadline and push the country toward a new political crisis. But a National Assembly member, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, said today that specific solutions to the more difficult issues, like federalism and the status of the city of Kirkuk, would be put off for another day . . . .

Asked about the challenges of bringing the Sunni minority on board, Mr. Rubaie said they were making an effort to obtain the best deal possible.

With several questions unresolved, Shiite leaders had said 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.

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Regardless of what is or isn't in this document, it would be a big, big mistake to try to give it a pass without the consent of the Sunnis.

Whether they're right or wrong, they can break this thing.