Iraqi Constitution Deadline Extended A Week
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 15 - Still deadlocked after days of negotiations, Iraq’s leaders decided today to give themselves another week to agree on a new constitution and resolve a series of fundamental disagreements over the future and identity of this fractious land.
Mourners in Baghdad carry the body of Mouhanad Salih, who was killed when a roadside bomb exploded. Roadside bombs throughout Iraq killed five American soldiers yesterday and injured five others.
After meeting for several hours inside the protected Green Zone here, a group of senior Iraqi leaders told the National Assembly that they were unable to resolve a number of critical issues, including the role of Islam, the rights of women, the sharing of the country’s vast oil wealth and whether to grant the majority Shiites their own semi-independent region in the south.
Minutes before midnight, the leaders of the assembly agreed to amend the country’s interim constitution and give themselves until next Monday to strike a deal. There were proclamations of brotherhood and pledges to work together, but the leaders said that ultimately their differences were too vast to bridge today, the previous deadline.
“They need time,” Prime Minister Irbahim Jafaari said after the assembly vote. “I think next week will be enough.”
Well I’m glad they are giving it some time, and not trying to ram through something that’ll piss off the Sunnis, but then again, I’m skeptical they can really get something finished in a week. According to the article, they don’t seem to have agreements for any of the key issues. They’ve been at it for 6 months and haven’t made it anywhere, what good will another week do?