NYT: Charter Talks in Iraq Reach Breaking Point

[speedoo]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/26/international/middleeast/26iraq.html?hp&ex=1125115200&en=36a4a823e1bedaa9&ei=5094&partner=homepage

It's all falling apart.

More "this constitution-writing is tough... hard work.." coming up.

(snip)

Talks over the Iraqi constitution reached a breaking point on Thursday, with a parliamentary session to present the document being canceled and President Bush personally calling one of the country's most powerful Shiite leaders in an effort to broker a last-minute deal.

Mr. Bush intervened when some senior Shiite leaders said they had decided to bypass their Sunni counterparts, as well as Iraqi lawmakers, and send the document directly to Iraqi voters for their approval.

The calls by Shiite leaders to ignore the Sunnis' request for changes to the draft constitution provoked threats from the Sunnis that they would urge their people to reject the document when it goes before voters in a national referendum in October.

At day's end, American officials in Washington declared that the Iraqis had made "substantial and real progress" toward a deal on the constitution. And senior Iraqi leaders said they would make a last-ditch effort on Friday to strike a deal.

But after so many days of fruitless negotiations, some senior political leaders here suggested that time had run out.

(snip)

[NYC]

1. Bush interrupted his vacation to make a phone call?

...Mr. Bush intervened when some senior Shiite leaders said they had decided to bypass their Sunni counterparts, as well as Iraqi lawmakers, and send the document directly to Iraqi voters for their approval...

[TaleWgnDg]

2. So, what's the alternative? Pick up rifles and shot at each other?

Oh. That's right too. They're already doing that. And worse.

.

[Moderator]

3. Duplicate

Previously posted and then combined in an earlier thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1728540