A Stalled Political Process In Iraq
by georgia10
Thu Apr 06, 2006 at 09:03:15 AM PDT
Iraqi politicians should be told that they have until May 15 to put together an effective unity government or we will immediately withdraw our military. If Iraqis aren't willing to build a unity government in the five months since the election, they're probably not willing to build one at all. - John Kerry, April 5, 2006
Sending Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to Iraq to pressure the Iraqis into forming a government seems to have backfired, with Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari more resolute than ever against calls for him to step down and withdraw his name from the nomination process. Today, we learn that there is yet another delay in the political process:
Sunni and Kurdish officials had suggested parliament convene Wednesday to decide al-Jaafari's fate. But representatives of the seven factions in the Shiite alliance met Thursday and decided to delay next week's session until all Iraqi parties agree on nominees for other posts, such as president and speaker of parliament, prominent Shiite politician Khalid al-Attiyah said.
Al-Attiyah said the deadlock had become "very complicated" and al-Jaafari's supporters within the alliance want to ask the advice of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's most respected Shiite cleric, before deciding their next move.
Senator Kerry is right. Every day of delay in the political process is another day our soldiers are targets in Iraq. President Bush's policy of "as the Iraqis step up, we will step down" only works if the Iraqis actually step up. This is an extremely complicated situation, but Kerry is correct in observing that the Iraqi leadership has only responded to deadlines thus far. Let us give them the ultimatum, for the good of their people, and for the safety of our soldiers as well.
dailykos.com |
