More Iraqi perspectives on federalism plan
" 'If federalism is to be applied now, it will lead to the secession of the south and the establishment of an Islamist extremist state in the center of the country,' said [Mahmoud al-Mashhadani], an outspoken Sunni Arab who is the third-ranking official in the government. 'It is not possible to venture or to start the application of federalism now.'
. . . When asked to predict the likely outcome of Wednesday's meeting of political leaders, he said: 'We could agree on the principle and then postpone the topic for four years.'
. . . Mashhadani said the country is not prepared for federalism because its government is not strong enough to provide security and services, and because of troubled relationships with some neighboring countries." [1]
Mashhadani did not mention oil in the above Washington Post interview, though the Post said that "Sunnis have generally opposed the plan, on grounds that it would leave them only with vast swaths of desert in the country's middle, devoid of the oil reserves in the other regions." [1]
" 'We ask the leaders who proposed the draft not to hurry and postpone it until the review of the constitution,' said secularist MP Sayed Ayad Jamaluddin, whose Iraqi National List has 25 seats in parliament.
Even one faction within the Shia bloc called for the proposals to be put off until the political climate cools.
The Fadhila party, which has 15 MPs among the bloc’s 128, said that adopting a federal structure would be dangerous while US forces and unofficial militias remain deployed in Iraq.
'We have to prepare the political and popular climate to dispel all misunderstandings about federalism,' Fadhila spokesman Hassan Shammari said.
'Federalism will fail with the intervention of foreign powers and presence of militias,' he said, adding that for the moment Iraq should adopt a more flexible 'decentralised administration' across the country.
But in a prayer sermon yesterday, SCIRI leader Abdel Aziz al-Hakim insisted that a fully federal Iraq was the best way of preventing Iraq’s divisions from leading to partition." [2]
"Al-Hakim, also demanded that the Shiite region include districts with a Shiite-dominated population, such as Basra, near the borders with Kuwait and Iran.
This 'will ensure that the dictatorship will not return,' Al-Hakim said.
The demand was received with criticism from other members of the Iraqi parliament." [3]
"Mr. Hakim’s move has spurred the legislators who answer to Moktada al-Sadr, a radical Shiite cleric, to unite with Parliament’s main Sunni Arab and secular blocs to try to sink Mr. Hakim’s plan.
Mr. Sadr, a longtime foe of Mr. Hakim, fears that if the plan goes into effect, Mr. Hakim will emerge as the ruler of the oil-rich southern region, Iraqi political experts say." [4]
A top aide to al-Sadr said recently that after America exited from Iraq, he foresaw civil war followed by the creation of a moderate "religious Shiite government" in Iraq. [5]
"Shia deputy parliament speaker Khalid al-Attiya told reporters that the debate on the bill proposed by the Shia United Iraqi Alliance would now begin on September 19.
He said there would be a second reading on September 21 to be followed by a 'vote four days after that'." [2]
sources
[1] The Washington Post. Federalism Plan Dead, Says Iraqi Speaker: Sunni Legislators, Others Had Balked. September 13, 2006.
[2] Gulf Times. Iraq puts off debate over divisive bill. September 11, 2006.
[3] Asharq Alawsat. Iraq: Shiite Leader Calls for Federal State. September 11, 2006.
[4] The New York Times. In Iran, Iraqi Is Offered Aid in Trying to Quell Violence. September 13, 2006.
[5] The Washington Post. Top Aide to Sadr Outlines Vision of a U.S.-Free Iraq. September 12, 2006.
resource
The Washington Post. Partition Debate Splits Iraq. September 13, 2006. (Good background article with links and reader comments)
related posting
Al-Sadr opposes al-Hakim's federalism plan (September 12, 2006)
posted: thursday, september 14, 2006, 10:27 AM ET
update: thursday, september 14, 2006, 10:56 AM ET
. . . When asked to predict the likely outcome of Wednesday's meeting of political leaders, he said: 'We could agree on the principle and then postpone the topic for four years.'
. . . Mashhadani said the country is not prepared for federalism because its government is not strong enough to provide security and services, and because of troubled relationships with some neighboring countries." [1]
Mashhadani did not mention oil in the above Washington Post interview, though the Post said that "Sunnis have generally opposed the plan, on grounds that it would leave them only with vast swaths of desert in the country's middle, devoid of the oil reserves in the other regions." [1]
" 'We ask the leaders who proposed the draft not to hurry and postpone it until the review of the constitution,' said secularist MP Sayed Ayad Jamaluddin, whose Iraqi National List has 25 seats in parliament.
Even one faction within the Shia bloc called for the proposals to be put off until the political climate cools.
The Fadhila party, which has 15 MPs among the bloc’s 128, said that adopting a federal structure would be dangerous while US forces and unofficial militias remain deployed in Iraq.
'We have to prepare the political and popular climate to dispel all misunderstandings about federalism,' Fadhila spokesman Hassan Shammari said.
'Federalism will fail with the intervention of foreign powers and presence of militias,' he said, adding that for the moment Iraq should adopt a more flexible 'decentralised administration' across the country.
But in a prayer sermon yesterday, SCIRI leader Abdel Aziz al-Hakim insisted that a fully federal Iraq was the best way of preventing Iraq’s divisions from leading to partition." [2]
"Al-Hakim, also demanded that the Shiite region include districts with a Shiite-dominated population, such as Basra, near the borders with Kuwait and Iran.
This 'will ensure that the dictatorship will not return,' Al-Hakim said.
The demand was received with criticism from other members of the Iraqi parliament." [3]
"Mr. Hakim’s move has spurred the legislators who answer to Moktada al-Sadr, a radical Shiite cleric, to unite with Parliament’s main Sunni Arab and secular blocs to try to sink Mr. Hakim’s plan.
Mr. Sadr, a longtime foe of Mr. Hakim, fears that if the plan goes into effect, Mr. Hakim will emerge as the ruler of the oil-rich southern region, Iraqi political experts say." [4]
A top aide to al-Sadr said recently that after America exited from Iraq, he foresaw civil war followed by the creation of a moderate "religious Shiite government" in Iraq. [5]
"Shia deputy parliament speaker Khalid al-Attiya told reporters that the debate on the bill proposed by the Shia United Iraqi Alliance would now begin on September 19.
He said there would be a second reading on September 21 to be followed by a 'vote four days after that'." [2]
sources
[1] The Washington Post. Federalism Plan Dead, Says Iraqi Speaker: Sunni Legislators, Others Had Balked. September 13, 2006.
[2] Gulf Times. Iraq puts off debate over divisive bill. September 11, 2006.
[3] Asharq Alawsat. Iraq: Shiite Leader Calls for Federal State. September 11, 2006.
[4] The New York Times. In Iran, Iraqi Is Offered Aid in Trying to Quell Violence. September 13, 2006.
[5] The Washington Post. Top Aide to Sadr Outlines Vision of a U.S.-Free Iraq. September 12, 2006.
resource
The Washington Post. Partition Debate Splits Iraq. September 13, 2006. (Good background article with links and reader comments)
related posting
Al-Sadr opposes al-Hakim's federalism plan (September 12, 2006)
posted: thursday, september 14, 2006, 10:27 AM ET
update: thursday, september 14, 2006, 10:56 AM ET
posted by eric at 8:39 AM
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