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Iraqis Irate Over Senate Partition Vote

Resolution pushing autonomous regions prompts backlash

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 1, 2007 10:10 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The Iraqi government is reacting angrily to a Senate resolution passed Thursday that the US push to divide the country into three autonomous regions—Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish—to reduce ethnic bloodshed. "No Iraqi is for dividing their country or for splitting it into three weak states, unable to survive," Iraqi's foreign minister declared to CNN.

The largest Shiite and Sunni blocks in parliament joined to convey their outrage: "We call the Arab League to condemn the resolution, and we call all Iraqis to demonstrate against the resolution." The foreign minister noted that backlash against the measure, sponsored by Sen. Joe Biden, comes despite the fact that it is "in line with what the constitution—the Iraqi Constitution—has called for to establish a federal democratic Iraq in the future."

Representatives of Iraq's major political parties address a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007. The representatives strongly denounced a U.S. Senate proposal calling for a limited centralized government with the bulk of the power given to the country's ethnically divided regions, saying it would seriously hamper...
Representatives of Iraq's major political parties address a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007. The representatives strongly denounced a U.S. Senate proposal calling for a limited...   (Associated Press)
Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari speaks during a news conference in Baghdad Thursday Aug. 30, 2007. Zebari said on Thursday that the government had made good progress in responding to U.S. goals for improved security and political cohesion ahead of key reports soon to be delivered to the U....
Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari speaks during a news conference in Baghdad Thursday Aug. 30, 2007. Zebari said on Thursday that the government had made good progress in responding to U.S. goals...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., speaks in Omaha, Neb., Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007. Biden said the idea that the troop surge in Iraq is working is preposterous, hours before President Bush is scheduled to give a speech asking Americans for more time to let his Iraq strategy succeed....
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., speaks in Omaha, Neb., Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007. Biden said the idea that the troop surge in Iraq is working is preposterous, hours before President...   (Associated Press)
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Dividing Iraq

Iraq united in opposing division
New York Times

Hostile Arab editorial on partition plan
Arab News

In show of unity, Iraq rejects power-sharing
Los Angeles Times

 
Iraq • Sam Brownback • Joe Biden • Sunni • Kurds • Shia • sovereignty • partition • federal • US Embassy • Hoshiyar Zebari • Iraq Constituition • Muqtada al-Sadr

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