Sunnis And Shiites Reject Splitting Country
BAGHDAD (AP) - Representatives of Iraq’s major political parties on Sunday denounced a U.S. Senate proposal calling for a limited centralized Iraqi government with the bulk of the power given to the country’s ethnically divided regions.
The groups, which represented both Shiites and Sunnis, said the plan would hamper Iraq’s stability, and they suggested an Iraqi law permanently banning the country’s split along sectarian or ethnic lines.
“This proposal was based on the incorrrect reading and unrealistic estimations of Iraq’s past, present and future,” according to the statement read by Izzat al-Shahbandar, a representative of the Iraqi National List, a secular political party.
The nonbinding Senate resolution calls for Iraq to be divided into three regions. Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., was a prime sponsor of the measure.
Al-Shahbandar said at a news conference the proposal “opposes all laws of the international community and its legitimate institutions which protect all the rights of people in self-decision, building their future and defending their unity and sovereignty.”
He added that the international community should denounce the proposal and “support Iraq in its crisis and its efforts to restore security and stability in all its areas.”
On Friday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told The Associated Press that “dividing Iraq is a problem, and a decision like that would be a catastrophe.”
Iraq’s constitution lays down a federal system, allowing Shiites in the south, Kurds in the north and Sunnis in the center and west of the country to set up regions with considerable autonomous powers.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
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Here’s an idea. Why not poll the Shia, the Kurds and the Sunnis themselves and ask the people what they think of the proposal. Leave the politicians out of the vote.
I’d be curious what the average Iraqi would say on the subject.
In any case, it is up to the Iraqis to choose their governmental structures not Joe Biden.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:33 amI was wondering the same thing Dan. Of course these politicians don’t want to split the country, they face the possibility of losing all the power they currently have
September 30th, 2007 at 12:39 pmThe Iraqi Government should propose a bill for “Kick Joe Biden in the Balls Day”.
October 1st, 2007 at 5:44 am