Sunni Arab Bloc Quits Iraqi Government

uscitizen

uscitizen

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Sunni Arab Bloc Quits Iraqi Government

Aug 1, 12:14 PM (ET)

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and SINAN SALAHEDDIN



BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq's largest Sunni Arab political bloc announced its withdrawal from the government Wednesday, undermining efforts to seek reconciliation among the country's rival factions, and three bombings in Baghdad killed at least 70 people.

In one attack, 50 people were killed and 60 wounded when a suicide attacker exploded a fuel truck near a gas station in western Baghdad. Another 17 died in a separate car bomb attack in central Baghdad. And in a mostly Christian section of the capital, a parked car bombing killed three people.

The U.S. military announced the deaths of four American soldiers, three of whom were killed by a sophisticated, armor-piercing bomb. Britain also announced the death of one of its soldiers, by a roadside bombing in Basra.

The White House on Wednesday downplayed the significance of the Accordance Front's leaving the government.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070801/D8QOB3C83.html
 
The Accordance Front has 44 of parliament's 275 seats. Its withdrawal from the 14-month-old government is the second such action by a faction of Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's "national unity" coalition. Five Cabinet ministers loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr quit the government in April to protest al-Maliki's reluctance to announce a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.

Rafaa al-Issawi, a leading member of the Accordance Front, said at a news conference Wednesday that the Sunni bloc's six Cabinet ministers would submit their resignations later in the day.

Al-Issawi said the decision to pull out from the government followed what he called al-Maliki's failure to respond to the Accordance Front. It gave him seven days to meet its demands, and the ultimatum expired Wednesday.

Among the demands: a pardon for security detainees not charged with specific crimes, the disbanding of militias and the participation of all groups represented in the government in dealing with security issues.

"The government is continuing with its arrogance, refusing to change its stand and has slammed shut the door to any meaningful reforms necessary for saving Iraq," al-Issawi said.

"We had hoped that the government would respond to these demands or at least acknowledge the failure of its policies, which led Iraq to a level of misery it had not seen in modern history. But its stand did not surprise us at all," he said, reading from a prepared statement.
 
Now we see why proably the main reason why the admiral nominee when pressed hard was doubtful about "winning" in Iraq.
 
uscitizen said:
Sunni Arab Bloc Quits Iraqi Government

Aug 1, 12:14 PM (ET)

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and SINAN SALAHEDDIN



BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq's largest Sunni Arab political bloc announced its withdrawal from the government Wednesday, undermining efforts to seek reconciliation among the country's rival factions, and three bombings in Baghdad killed at least 70 people.

In one attack, 50 people were killed and 60 wounded when a suicide attacker exploded a fuel truck near a gas station in western Baghdad. Another 17 died in a separate car bomb attack in central Baghdad. And in a mostly Christian section of the capital, a parked car bombing killed three people.

The U.S. military announced the deaths of four American soldiers, three of whom were killed by a sophisticated, armor-piercing bomb. Britain also announced the death of one of its soldiers, by a roadside bombing in Basra.

The White House on Wednesday downplayed the significance of the Accordance Front's leaving the government.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070801/D8QOB3C83.html
Click to expand...



this is potentially VERY bad. There appears to no longer be even the figleaf of a "Unity" government in iraq. If the reports are correct, this sunni bloc tendered their resignations, and said their resignations were final. That doesn't sound like the typical, Arab-style choreographed kabuki dance of threats, counter-threats, and ultimate negotiation and accomdation.
 
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