Iraqi legislators withdraw and resign

[Barrett808]

Baghdad, Iraq, Apr. 3 (UPI) -- Iraqi state television said Sunday an unspecified number of legislators have either pulled out or resigned from the National Assembly.

The channel quoted a member of the Shiite bloc in parliament, Hammam Hammoudi, as saying the legislators resigned either for security reasons or to protest their exclusion from the government being formed.

He said the National Assembly would discuss finding others to replace them.

The announcement came shortly after the first elected parliament in Iraq in more than 50 years chose an Arab Sunni speaker, Hajem al-Hosni, in addition to Shiite and Kurdish deputy speakers.

Al-Hosni received 215 votes out of 240 attending the 275-seat National Assembly in a secret ballot, ending a deadlock in which parliament had until Sunday failed to agree on a speaker.

(more)

http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050403-050536-8413r.htm

[alfredo]

1. How will the people accept this government

That will be the test.

[JohnyCanuck]

2. According to this Iraqi they know it's a sham.

The gates of hell are open in Iraq

The occupation and new US threats could spark neighbouring uprisings

Jawad al-Khalisi
Friday April 1, 2005
The Guardian


The US-British occupation of Iraq is poisoning all political processes in my country and across the Middle East. The elections held under the control of the occupying forces in January were neither free nor fair. Instead of being a step towards solving Iraq's problems, they have been used to prolong foreign rule over the Iraqi people.

Only when the occupiers withdraw from the country can Iraq take the first secure steps towards peace and stability. Once a strict timetable for withdrawal is set, Iraq's political forces could freely agree and set in motion a process of genuinely free and fair democratic elections, a permanent constitution, and a programme that meets the demands of all the Iraqi people.

The occupying powers are now following a policy of divide and rule, encouraging sectarian and ethnic divisions and imposing them on all the institutions they have created.

<snip>

In the same way, the Iraq crisis cannot be resolved by patching up a detested occupation with fraudulent elections and sectarian and ethnic caucuses supported by the occupiers. The only solution is the immediate withdrawal of occupation forces - or as a minimum, a strict internationally guaranteed timetable for withdrawal. Talk about freedom and democracy is seen as an endlessly repeated sham by our peoples because these words are being uttered by the very powers that have stood behind the corrupt dictatorial regimes. (emphasis mine /jc) The US today is still the ally and backer of many such tyrannical regimes in our region and elsewhere.

www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1449864,00.html

According to the accompanying note in The Guardian: Ayatollah Jawad al-Khalisi is secretary general of the Iraqi National Foundation Congress, an alliance of secular and religious organisations covering all religious and ethnic groups in Iraq

[Dancing_Dave]

5. Wow, that Guardian article is really great!

:yourock:

[alfredo]

6. We did them a great wrong by not providing security and

stability. We allowed the country to descend into chaos.

[Barrett808]

3. This is the weakest imaginable central government

Furthermore, every ministry is packed with Bremer-era American appointees.

In a very real way, this is a "Potempkin government".

The insurgency recognizes this, of course, and presses on.

[kevinmc]

4. Another Part of the story.....

Iraqi parliament elects speaker

Iraq's divided interim parliament has finally elected a speaker, clearing a major political hurdle on the way to forming a government. Casting secret ballots, the members chose Hajim al-Hassani, a Sunni Arab, as the speaker and picked a Shia Muslim and a Kurd as his deputies.

More than two months have passed since Iraqis elected the national assembly.

A session of the chamber fell apart on Tuesday as members argued over a suitable Sunni candidate.

Correspondents say the choice of a Sunni is aimed at reaching out to Iraq's second-largest community, which has been largely alienated since the US-led invasion.

The assembly is due to reconvene on Wednesday when it is expected to name a new president, tipped to be Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani.

Mr Hassani, the current industry minister, was an outspoken critic of the recent US-led military offensive against militants in Falluja.

He previously declined the post, saying he would only serve as speaker as a last resort.

"The Iraqi people have proven that they can overcome the political crisis that has plagued the country for the last two months," he told reporters after his election.

The minister received the largest share of votes cast on Sunday: 215 to 157 for his nearest rival, Hussain al-Shahristani, a Shia Muslim former nuclear scientist.

Mr Shahristani became a deputy speaker along with Kurdish candidate Aref Taifour, who won 96 votes, according to figures obtained by the Associated Press news agency.

Once a president and deputy presidents are chosen, they will have two weeks to form a government.

The assembly itself will have the job of writing a new constitution by mid-August which will pave the way for new elections and permanent state institutions.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4405643.stm

[alfredo]

7. History and human nature is against them.

I hope for the best, for the worst will not only bring down Iraq, it will bring down America.

[alcuno]

8. Wait. There are 275 members and only 240 attended?

What's up with that?