Informed Comment

Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion

Juan Cole is President of the Global Americana Institute

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Sunnis Seek Last-Minute changes in Constitution

Shiite teachers in Baghdad and Iraqi police and 10 passengers on a government bus were killed in violence on Monday

The Sunni National Dialogue Council and other Iraqi politicians meeting in Amman have complained that Iraqi Sunni Arabis are facing genocide and said they are mulling a campaign of civil disobedience. (Since the Sunni Arab areas are in flames, a campaign of civil disobedience would be a big improvement). The same group, along with the Iraqi Islamic Party, expressed approval of Saudi Foreign Minsiter Saud al-Faisal recent cautions about Iranian influence in Iraq. Al-Hayat says that the National Dialogue Council (Sunni) asserted that it had been in contact with the Americans about the possibility of making last-minute changes in the constitution that might mollify the Sunni Arabs.

The International Crisis Group [Word doc.] argues that the process by which the Iraqi constitution was crafted, and several provisions whether vague or specific, have exacerbated sectarian and ethnic tensions in Iraq and bode poorly for the future.

Cindy Sheehan and several other antiwar protesters courted arrest Monday with a sit-in near the White House, and succeeded in being arrested.

Al Franken at Air America covers this weekend's protests, including the mock trial.

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