BREAKING: one of Iraq's Sunni parties backs Constitution after changes

[welshTerrier2]

too soon to know the implications of this news ... anyone have any thoughts on it ??

source: http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-10-11T213032Z_01_DIT176429_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-SUNNIS.xml

One of Iraq's main Sunni Arab political groups, the Iraqi Islamic Party, decided on Tuesday to support the new constitution at this week's referendum after winning concessions from rival groups, a party source said.

Asked to confirm that stance publicly on television, the party's general secretary kept to a more cautious line, saying it would probably drop its opposition to the charter if it had legal confirmation of the changes it wanted. <skip>

Asked by Al Jazeera television to confirm the move, the Islamic Party's General-Secretary Tareq al-Hashemi said: "It is too early to say. We are optimistic if the paragraph is amended in a legal way that is acceptable to us, then we will have another position, probably a positive position ... But we should not rush things." <skip>

Other Sunni political groups have maintained their opposition to the constitution and are urging either a boycott or a "No" vote on Saturday, arguing that the charter could break up the state and hand too much power to Shi'ites and Kurds.

[Seansky]

1. sorry, but I no longer believe that there is a point on the hopes

that the agreement of a (constantly changed) constituion will solve anything...It seems to be too late for the country to recover from the dramatic division this war has created.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. How can they amend a paragraph this late?

The people are meant to vote on Saturday. If they're still writing the damn thing, they won't have a clue what's in it.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

3. That's never stopped OUR congress from voting on something...

[louis-t]

4. Apparently, the voters NEVER had a clue what's in it.

I've read here at DU that the voters have not been able to read the new 'constitution'.

[second edition]

5. If this passes it is because of the Iraqi's themselves and not

because of Bush. Perhaps, they will unit to get us out of their country, where we do not belong and should have never gone in the first place. We must not let the media get away with crediting Bush for this.

[Lexingtonian]

6. Did anything actually break?

This stuff looks like rather normal news to me. What made "BREAKING:" any addition to your post?

This is news from Iraq. As you may have noticed by now, major players in Iraq have an unhappy habit of changing their minds rather quickly and often about just about everything.

I'm guessing this "BREAKING:" shit is an unfortunate habit being imported from dailykos.

[welshTerrier2]

8. sheesh ...

i post a story from Reuters that was listed there as being 15 minutes old and i have to put up with critics ...

why someone with your intellect would waste time on such trivial points is beyond me ...

you called this "normal news" ... does "normal news" not "break" ???

as to the only worthwhile part of your post, i agree that there are no guarantees this will happen nor is it clear what impact it will have on the vote if it does ... to that extent, we agree ...

[Donna Zen]

7. On Sunday, Clark talked about a possibility of changes

He said:

I think you’ll get a mix this time, they’ll vote against it but it won’t be enough. It may have a couple of couple of modifications put in tomorrow, but it won’t be enough to ease the Sunni’s concerns, the insurgency will be there it will still be supported by large elements of the Sunni population, and it will cause a lot of trouble for us and for the Iraqi government.

The document will pave the way for the Shiites to have the power they wanted. The problem is that the Sunnis weren’t brought into the process soon enough with the right quality of representation to feel that they’re involved and to give it legitimacy.

^^^^^^^^^

This is a quick rough transcription of what I'm picking up from the video.

Thanks for posting this WT2, I've been wondering if indeed the futher talks he referred to had actually come off. I guess they did.

[welshTerrier2]

9. link to the Clark video ??

do you have one, DZ ??

the problem has been from the beginning that internal factions in Iraq never had a valid forum for negotiation ... and the US military presence coupled with bush's desire for federalism has made peace, stability and democracy impossible ...

i just don't think we can get there from here ... not with an occupation and not with bush in the WH ...

[FrenchieCat]

10. Here....download first, then view

download first, then view
first 1/2 is on the Bird Flu....2nd 1/2 in on Iraq.
http://www.yellowdogdem.com/100905.WMV

[welshTerrier2]

11. thanks, Frenchie !!

i'll check it out ...

i just gotta skip the bird flu part though ...

flea, fly, flu (try that 5 times fast)
i guess that's what bird's do ...

[FrenchieCat]

12. LOL!

Yeah....that Pandemic "word" must have a "ring" to it.

Wasn't his fault....he was asked....and he is in the Emergency preparedness business so guess he answered. Basically, his answer was that Bush has no plan.

[Donna Zen]

13. Thanks Frenchie!

I found what Clark had to say very interesting, and have been listening to what passes for news in this country to hear of any changes. I guess the media whores are just too fucking busy these days to talk about Iraq.

The ICG report was actually hoping for some changes. I wish I knew if they got what they wanted.

[LynnTheDem]

14. Too bad Iraqis won't get to READ IT before voting...

This "constitution" represses women, bases law on Sharia, is full of contradictions...ya want an Islamic Fundamentalist state with women as 2nd class citizens? THEN VOTE YES. 2000 US dead, for THIS??? Way to go, bush! Another in your life-long list of total fuck-ups.

IRAQIS HAVE NOT EVEN SEEN THE CONSTITUTION THEY'RE TO VOTE ON.

Gee what "PROGRESS"!

RAH RAH RAH!

It's expected to pass, because the VIOLENCE will keep Iraqis away from the voting booths.

Gee what "PROGRESS"!

RAH RAH RAH!

Iraqis vote on 'invisible' constitution

Insurgency hampers distribution of crucial document as millions prepare to go to the polls this week
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article318225.ece

[welshTerrier2]

15. the Sunnis would be crazy to support the Constitution

if they go along with this, there will be no way to protect them from a tyranny of the majority ... women will go back in time several hundred years ...

even if this thing passes, i think civil war will still occur ...

[Donna Zen]

16. It will pass...the Sunnis don't have the votes.

Anyway, Hillary said that this war has been wonderful for the women of Afghanistan and Iraq. (Sorry, but the entire thing pisses me off to no-fucking end.) That's our healthcare plan blowing up over there. And for what?

[LynnTheDem]

18. The Sunnis do have the votes. But the votes won't be made coz it's too

violent to get to the polls.

And the Shia, poor fools...they'll vote never having read that piece of shit, and all the moderate Shia will find out the very hard way what those in Basra have found out; Hussein was a liberal compared to the Iranian fundamentalist state they're gonna get now.

[Donna Zen]

19. They need 3 provinces

Clark said that its not doable.

True, the Sunni provinces are the most dangerous and the biggest mess.

Exactly, Saddam was a socialist.

Riverbend claims that it has been printed in the papers, as well as handed out. In a recent diary, she suspects that people are no longer interested; they are burned out and believe that the Americans will get whatever they want.

One thing to remember is that many of the moderates were educated Sunnis and Shia. They have been fleeing the country, the one that they use to run.

[LynnTheDem]

20. Sunnis are the majority in 4 provinces. It is doable.

But it won't happen, because not enough will be able to get to the booths to vote due to the raging violence.

Only the 2nd draft was printed in the paper, the final draft that they're to vote on has not been printed; only in some areas of Baghdad were any handed out. NONE have been distributed anywhere else in Iraq.

When Iraqis DO get to see what they voted for, all bloody hell is going to break loose. That's my prediction.

[LynnTheDem]

17. WOMEN would be crazy...MODERATES would be crazy...SECULARISTS

would be crazy...IRAQIS would be crazy.

Unless you are an Islamic Fundamentalist you would be crazy to support that piece of shit.

[LynnTheDem]

21. Iraq Constitution May Bring Civil War, Report Warns

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4864702

Of course...because most Iraqis do not want to live in a repressive Iranian Islamic fundamentalist state.

But hey, that's the "NOBLE CAUSE" so many Americans are dead, dying, will die for. THANK BUSH, HE DID IT.

[Donna Zen]

22. Thanks for the information Lynn

It is all disgusting.

[LynnTheDem]

23. You're very welcome, and yes it truly is

disgusting.

God/dess help us all.

[LynnTheDem]

24. "significant doubts about the religious nature of the new constitution"

Zainab and her friend Zahra, 37, are both deeply apprehensive about the effect the constitution will have on women's rights. Since "liberation" by US-led forces they have seen the growth in the power of Muslim clerics and the diminishing power of choice.

...

There are, however, significant doubts about the religious nature of the new constitution, and even those who want the British to leave Iraq for nationalistic reasons are deeply concerned at the prospect of being left in the hands of the Islamist militias.

"It is written by Islamists for Islamists", declared Adil, an academic. "I have looked through this and there is nothing there for a secular person like me.

"But I shall be voting 'yes' because if it is rejected I know there are groups who are ready to use that as an excuse to break away the south from the rest of Iraq as a separate state where the Iranians will have huge influence. I don't like the constitution but it is the only option left now."
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article318609.ece