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| Iraq-Jordan | |
| Officials Say Iraq Won't Be Islamic State | |
| 2005-03-13 | |
In political developments, the country's main Shiite and Kurdish coalitions were putting the finishing touches on an agreement they hope to sign on Monday forming a coalition government. A senior member of the Shiite-dominated United Iraqi Alliance, Ahmad Chalabi, traveled late Friday to Sulaimaniyah, 160 miles northeast of Baghdad, for talks with Jalal Talabani, a Kurdish leader who is slated to become Iraq's next president. The Kurds have agreed that conservative Islamic Dawa party leader Ibrahim al-Jaafari will be Iraq's prime minister. "There is discussion and there is an agreement on the basic principles. But there is not final agreement on all the details. This visit was on invitation by Talabani to Chalabi. The atmosphere was positive," said alliance member Ali al-Faisal. Kurds and alliance officials said both sides agreed that Iraq would not become an Islamic state, a desire also expressed by the country's most powerful Shiite cleric — Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Massoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdish Democratic Party, said the Kurds would oppose any attempt to turn Iraq into an Islamic state. "I think the Shiites well understand that implementing an Islamic government ... will bring a lot of problems," Barzani told Dubai's Al-Arabiya television. "We have an alliance with the Shiites. We were both oppressed, and we both struggled against the old regime, but if they insist on having a religious government we will oppose to them." An alliance member, Ali al-Dabagh, said there were no plans to turn Iraq into a religious state or a secular one.
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| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #3 I hope that some of the framers of the Iraqi constitution read through the history of US constitution framers. There were deep differences. Really deep and really bitter. Yet compromises were made and a document was finally produced, EVERY WORD the product of great effort. The point is that they all worked together to produce something that still governs this country today. Tremendous responsibility. I have a feeling that the Iraqis may learn more from our experience and apply it better than our Supremes. Sorry, could not help it...... |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-03-13 12:38:06 PM |
| #2 It will probably be a mess. But they've come so far, one has to hold out hope for them. It's what happens when the body tries to write a constitution... Will they be able to forgo tribal & religious loyalties and look beyond their own noses to make common cause? Or will partition be the only answer that actually satisfies all parties? They can choose to "break up" - and tell everyone else to piss off... or they can realize there's strength in unity and make a major leap forward. It's going to be tough because of the religious autocratic influence. They've come a long way - and Yagouv Iraqi deserves credit. Can they take the next big step? |
| Posted by: .com 2005-03-13 6:52:33 AM |
| #1 Perhaps they have a bit of misconception what secular means. I would be inclined to believe that they equate the term with atheistm (ex. USSR or ACLUism=>freedom FROM religion). It may be in the translation, too. |
| Posted by: Sobiesky 2005-03-13 2:38:43 AM |