Sunnis suspends Iraqi gov't membership

[Scurrilous]

Source: Associated Press

<snip>

"Iraq's largest Sunni Arab bloc said Wednesday it has suspended its membership in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's coalition government, dealing a serious blow to the Shiite leader's efforts to achieve national reconciliation.

The Iraqi Accordance Front, which has five Cabinet members as well as 44 of parliament's 275 seats, said it was giving al-Maliki a week to meet their demands or they would quit his 14-month-old Cabinet altogether.

"The Accordance Front announces the suspension of its membership in the government," Sheik Khalaf al-Elyan told a news conference also attended by the two other leaders of the three-party Accordance Front, Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi and Adnan al-Dulaimi.

Reading from a prepared statement, al-Elyan said the front's demands were a pardon for security detainees not charged with specific crimes, a firm commitment by the government to human rights and the disbanding of militias."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070725/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_sunnis_2

[dollie300]

1. The US missed the opportunity to use people like Tarik Aziz in the

beginning of our occupation. There were many very reasonable people in Saddam's government that could have and should have been used to enlighten the invaders on how to handle the Iraqi population and how to keep needed energy and water and sewage resources working. But as usual, arrogance, erroneous belief in superiority, and greed have placed us near the end of the last chapter of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.

[Hissyspit]

2. Sunnis Suspend Iraqi Gov't Membership

Source: Associated Press

Sunnis suspend Iraqi gov't membership
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press writer
Wed Jul 25, 6:38 AM ET

BAGHDAD - Iraq's largest Sunni Arab bloc said Wednesday it has suspended its membership in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's coalition government, dealing a serious blow to the Shiite leader's efforts to achieve national reconciliation.

The Iraqi Accordance Front, which has five Cabinet members as well as 44 of parliament's 275 seats, said it was giving al-Maliki a week to meet their demands or they would quit his 14-month-old Cabinet altogether.

- snip -

Reading from a prepared statement, al-Elyan said the front's demands were a pardon for security detainees not charged with specific crimes, a firm commitment by the government to human rights and the disbanding of militias.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq_sunnis

[SpiralHawk]

3. "Oh well, guess I screwed up again. As usual." - Commander AWOL

"I just can't seem to do anything right. But at least the republicon crony war profits are still rolling in merrily. Smirk, smirk, smirk."

- Commander AWOL

[iconoclastic cat]

4. Uh, just how bad is this? nt

[Dr.Phool]

5. They gave him a week's notice.

Then it's off for a months vacation. The chimps.

[Massachusetts]

6. FUBAR!

"If the US is allying with Iran against the Sunni insurgents and al-Qaeda, this is a very major development and much more important than some carping over Shiite militias. (My guess is that 98% of American troops killed in Iraq have been killed by Sunni Arab guerrillas). If the report is true and has legs, it will send Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal ballistic. The Sunni Arab states do not like "al-Qaeda" in Iraq, but they are much more afraid of Iran than of the Iraqi Sunni Arabs who are fighting against US military occupation".
-Informed Comment
Juan Cole

[Alcibiades]

7. But our whole strategy is based on growing Sunni support!

You've heard it from the Bushies, the Pentagon and top generals. Petraeus' strategy (which has included, apparently arming Sunni militias) has been to get the Sunni political leadership on our side against al Queda in Iraq. This move signals the failure of that strategy--the Sunnis are still pissed, even after we gave them some guns.

This could be the first step towards partition.