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Iraq Lawmakers Overcome Rifts, Pass Key Laws

Long deadlock had threatened to dissolve young parliament

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 13, 2008 6:38 PM CST

(Newser) – A day after the speaker of Iraq’s parliament threatened to disband the legislature, lawmakers passed three key but divisive laws after months of infighting, the Christian Science Monitor reports. The measures—passage of a federal budget, limited amnesty for prisoners, and curbs on the powers of local governments—allowed Kurds, Shiites, and Sunnis all to claim victory, the New York Times says.

Kurds won a 17% share of this year’s $48 billion budget, Shiites secured a pre-October date for provincial elections, and Sunnis pushed for amnesty because 80% of detainees in Iraqi jails belong to their sect. “Today we have a wedding party for the Iraqi parliament,” the speaker said today, but critics complained the bundled legislation was unconstitutional, the AP reports.

Iraq's Kurds scored a major victory today, when the country's legislature agreed to allocate 17 percent of the $48 billion federal budget to Kurdistan, the semi-autonomous region in Iraq's north, the... (Associated Press)

A newly released prisoner kisses his relative in Al-Rashid area south of Baghdad on February 13, 2008. Iraqi lawmakers passed three laws today, including a limited amnesty for those in Iraqi prisons,... (Getty Images)

Iraqi lawmakers passed three key laws today, providing a much-needed boon to the efforts of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to heal the sectarian wounds that had divided the country, the Christian Science... (Associated Press)

Shiite leader Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, head of the Iraqi parliament's largest bloc, appears in Najaf, Iraq. Iraqi lawmakers passed three key laws today, including a 2008 budget, limited amnesty for prisoners,... (Associated Press)

The speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Mahmoud al-Mashadani threatened yesterday to disband Iraq's parliament because of mistrust among its members, but today, the legislature passed three key laws, including... (Associated Press)

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Iraq Lawmakers Overcome Rifts, Pass Key Laws

Long deadlock had threatened to dissolve young parliament

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Group may be looking to exploit the chaos

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Violence rampant thanks to political crisis

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Victims were marking a holy day

Wave of Bombings Targets Iraq's Shiites, Killing 72

Heightens fears that attacks will increase now that US has withdrawn

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Iraqi PM hasn't followed through on his end of agreement

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Iraq Lawmakers Overcome Rifts, Pass Key Laws

Long deadlock had threatened to dissolve young parliament

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Iraq • Shiite • Nouri al-Maliki • Kurds • Sunnis • benchmarks • Iraq parliament

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

US Suspects al-Qaeda Behind Syria Bombings

Group may be looking to exploit the chaos

With US Gone, Iraq Explodes

Violence rampant thanks to political crisis

Another Iraq Suicide Blast Kills 53 Shiites in Basra

Victims were marking a holy day

Wave of Bombings Targets Iraq's Shiites, Killing 72

Heightens fears that attacks will increase now that US has withdrawn

Despite Maliki Crackdown, US Still Selling Arms to Iraq

Iraqi PM hasn't followed through on his end of agreement

About Us

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Newser By Users

Community

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More News

What is Newser?