Sunni Iraqis: Shiites Barred Us From Voting

Tariq al-Hashemi accuses Shiite PM of eliminating rivals

(NEWSER) - Sunni VP Tariq al-Hashemi today openly accused Nouri al-Maliki of trying to eliminate his political rivals and run Iraq like a "one-man-show," a move that Hashemi says is pushing the country toward sectarian war. The comments came during an interview with the AP, which notes that the escalating tension between the two men , along with the series of bombings that killed at least 69 people yesterday , have hiked fears that Iraq could indeed be thrown into new violence following the exit of US troops. More»

Sunnis walk out of parliament, demand more power

(NEWSER) - Iraq's political structure already seems to be unraveling. Before the last US troops have left , Sunni politicians are walking out of parliament and threatening to quit altogether, the Washington Post reports. Ministers in the Sunni Iraqiya bloc are demanding more political power and greater control of Iraq's Shiite-dominated militia—especially after tanks recently surrounded the homes of Sunni politicians in the fortified Green Zone. More»

(NEWSER) - As the US military prepares to withdraw from Iraq's cities, security officials in both countries have observed that a smaller but more lethal insurgency seems to be gaining ground. Several recent bombings, believed to be orchestrated by al-Qaeda in Iraq, have killed 123 people in Baghdad and elsewhere, while members of the Sunni Awakening Movement have faced assassination attempts. As the New York Times reports, the attacks are a reminder of instability in a country that has been relatively peaceful of late. More»

(NEWSER) - The US turned over tens of thousands of Sunni fighters to Baghdad this weekend to take government jobs and mend fences with ruling Shiites, but many Sunnis are skeptical, the New York Times reports. After helping tame al-Qaeda in Iraq, the militiamen say few jobs are being offered in return. “Until now, promises are all we’ve gotten,” said one, who added that al-Qaeda pays "generously." More»

Political bargaining forces postponement to tomorrow

(AP) - Intense dealmaking among Iraq's political factions has delayed until tomorrow a parliamentary vote on the security pact that would allow American forces to stay in the country through 2011. The Shiite-led government is struggling to meet the demands of political blocs, including a large group of Sunni Arab lawmakers, seeking concessions in return for supporting the agreement. More»