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Iraq-Jordan
Shiites reach agreement with Sunnis
2005-06-17
Shiite politicians succeeded at including Sunni Arabs in the work of drafting Iraq's new constitution. Senior members of the Shiite-dominated parliament committee writing the charter reached agreement with Sunni groups on their representation on the panel, a political breakthrough just two months before a deadline to prepare the charter. The stalemate over that issue had threatened Iraq's political process as it was about to enter its final stretch, with two key nationwide votes planned for later this year _ a constitutional referendum in October and a general election in December.

The constitutional process, and attempts to open channels with some militant groups not tied to extremists, are touted by the United States and Iraq's government as a way to help defuse the insurgency. "Those who are terrorists, those who are al-Qaida and al-Zarqawi, and those who are Saddam elements, we have (nothing to) say to them," Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said Thursday. "But other Iraqis who are dissatisfied with something and believe that struggling with weapons will not lead to achieving their demands, we are ready to listen to them and permit them to come back to the democratic process in Iraq."
Posted by:Fred

#1  seems like even the Sunni Arab Iraqis are capable of seeing the writing on the wall, and finally realizing the train was leaving the station and they couldnt haggle for a better deal. So now the guys who boycotted the election, who demanded an end to debaathification and withdrawl of all US and coalition troops, are willing to join the process in return for 15 reps, 10 advisors,and a promise decisions will be made by consensus? Big improvement, I say.

It will be hard for them to finish a constitution by August though.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2005-06-17 10:59  

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