Iraq Political Update
IRAQ POLITICAL UPDATE....I noticed this last night at the Beirut Daily Star but didn't get around to blogging it:
Iraq's top Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish leaders announced on Sunday they had reached consensus on some key laws that Washington views as vital to fostering national reconciliation....The appearance of Maliki on Iraqi television with the other leaders was a rare show of public unity amid crumbling support for the prime minister's government.I can't tell if this is meaningful or not, and a quick scan of the front pages of CNN, the LA Times, the Washington Post, and the New York Times reveals nothing. Juan Cole mentions it but doesn't provide an opinion one way or the other.....Iraqi officials said the leaders had signed an agreement on easing restrictions on former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party joining the civil service and military.
"They signed a new draft on de-Baathification," said Yasin Majid, an adviser to Maliki.
Other officials said consensus had been reached on holding provincial elections and releasing many detainees who have been held without charge, a key demand of Sunni Arabs since the majority are members of their sect.
Majid said the leaders endorsed a draft oil law, which has been agreed by the Cabinet but has not gone to Parliament.
This is possibly good news, but I imagine, as usual, the devil is in the details. For now, just take it as raw data that might or might not pan out.