Iraq Parliament On Recess; Marine Killed

Lawmakers Close Last Session For Summer Break Despite Criticism; Marine Dies In Anbar

(CBS/AP)  In Washington, the State Department was unusually silent on the matter, declining to criticize the lawmakers for the break.

"There's a lot of work to be done in Iraq," deputy spokesman Tom Casey said. "I'll leave it to the parliamentary leaders themselves to explain why this might be a good time to take a break."

He said the United States would continue to push for work on critical legislation, including pieces like the oil law, during the vacation.

"Whether the parliament is in session or not, I think we expect that all of Iraq's political leadership is going to be continuing to work on those kinds of issues and work out the kinds of compromises so that when the parliament does come back into session, there'll be something there for them to vote on and them to act on," Casey said.

"This is not just about having the votes," he said. "It's about doing the work in advance so that there's actually legislation there that folks can agree on."

Meanwhile, al-Maliki faces a revolt within his party by factions that want him out as Iraqi leader, according to officials in his office and the political party he leads.

Ibrahim al-Jaafari, al-Maliki's predecessor, leads the challenge and already has approached leaders of the country's two main Kurdish parties, parliament's two Sunni Arab blocs and lawmakers loyal to powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Al-Jaafari's campaign, the officials said, was based on his concerns that al-Maliki's policies had led Iraq into turmoil because the prime minister was doing too little to promote national reconciliation.

The former prime minister also has approached Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite cleric, proposing a "national salvation" government to replace the al-Maliki coalition. The Iranian-born al-Sistani refused to endorse the proposal, the officials said.

"Al-Jaafari is proposing a national and nonsectarian political plan to save the nation," Faleh al-Fayadh, a Dawa party lawmaker familiar with the former prime minister's contacts.

Other officials, however, said al-Jaafari had only an outside chance of replacing or ousting al-Maliki. But they said the challenge could undermine al-Maliki and further entangle efforts at meeting important legislative benchmarks sought by Washington.

All the officials spoke of the sensitive political wrangling only on condition of anonymity.

[toldyouso21]

This is bul*lshit!!! We need to get our troops out of there immediately. These people don't give a *** about anything. To hell with all of them.Posted by hungry1968 at 08:58 AM : Jul 31, 2007

Why exactly should Iraqis give a ******* about Americans? We invaded them and unleashed this on them right? Not the other way around right? If you really think it is **********, then you are angry with Bush and company (Republican Congress) for fighting so hard to keep this going, because truth be known, no one wants us there except Republicans and our Iraqi collaborators--the Iraqis never had a choice in what we did. Not in invading them, not in bombing them, not in occupying them and not in staying and pretending we were the heros and saviours of them. This is our government's doing. the Iraqis? they just have to endure all of this until we have enough sense or lose enough of our stomachs to stop this **********.

But why be mad at the Iraqis, We are like the arsonists, who starts a crazy fire, then rushes in to help put it out and wants to be thought of as a hero. Who really is grateful to such a monster?

[toldyouso21]

Sorry. Can't be mad at the Iraqis for going on a vacation. It is their country and their government and they can do what they like, when they like for as long as they like. On the other hand, I do hold our feckless and clueless leadership entirely responsible for keeping a war going and allowing our people to be killed based on a war of lies, intents less than honorable and dying for a government who could care less how many Americans die (Iraqi government and our own) and for a people who wish American soldiers dead.

Only an idiot would have our soldiers protecting a hostile country where the only 2 things they are really dying for is to protect the collaborating puppet regime and the bottom line for American companies in the area.

[randalds]

"Iraq's parliament on Monday shrugged off U.S. criticism and adjourned for a month"

Scre*w 'em. Leave now. They're not worth the effort now and they never have been. Leave and let them all sink or swim on their own. We won't of course because Bush wants the US bases there for his coming invasion of Iran. The benchmarks are a joke just to distract US public opinion while the preparations for the next war are being made.

[tomar0317]

It is rather obvious the Iraqis leadership has failed to accomplish the steps necessary to have our troops stay there. The Iraqis people have allowed their leaders to do this. I think maybe we should pull all the troops and equipment out before the Iragis Parliment gets back. It's as good a time as ever.

[drummer94]

No reason to stay one minute longer. Leave the streets now. Then leave the country. Let the animals slaughter each other. Who gives a rats-azz anymore? Their own "government" sure as he11 don't. And we don't either.

[prinzowhales]

The Iraqis want us gone...even the rump Green Zone Regime is in rebellion against the Washington Regime. Obviously, they don't want to give away the nations oil to the Anglo-American gangsters. Obviously, they don't want to be permanently occupied...Obviously, they don't understand the imperial definition of democracy--doing what Washington says.

Troops Home Now! Down with the Regime! The enemy is in Washington! The borders are open and the vile louts are touting terrorist threats to the 'Homeland'....Time for the Chimp to find a new goat story book, a place out of the way of danger from which to watch the false-flag fun!

[tuckerndfw]

In September they are going to want to try a different plan all this is called SPIN.

Posted by rharrin1 at 09:45 AM : Jul 31, 2007

We agree.

Americans may have short memories and attention spans, but surely they can remember the numerous times the Bush administration has claimed "we're turning a corner," "stay the course."

Followed by more catastrophic failures and "midunderestimations."

This is the worst administration in US history and it is not possible for them to help form governments in other nations. They can't operate one in this nation.

Lying, denying and obfuscating is not normally considered good governance.

So the Iraqi Gov goes on holidays, while Americans die protecting them and other Iraqis.

And what reason were we given by the Bush Administration?

It will be too hot for them to sit.

Sounds fair doesn't it?

I'm sure our soldiers would appreciate some time off and a bit of respite from the heat - but they won't get it.

Instead, they'll be putting their lives at risk while Iraqi politicians relax.

Why George, why?

[hungry1968]

"The parliament had already extended its session by a month, having initially planned a recess for July and August."

"We gave the government a good chance by continuing to sit in July."


This is bul*lshit!!! We need to get our troops out of there immediately. These people don't give a *** about anything. To hell with all of them.

At the bare minimum our troops should be pulled into the green zone and not allowed to leave until this extension-of-Washington based government returns to business. We're trying to shape their government based on ours - and unfortunately it looks like it's working.

[tuckerndfw]

So, why wait until September to begin withdrawing US troops?

The surge failed, the Iraqi "government" failed, Bush failed and there is no reason to continue using US soldiers as policemen for lazy, uncaring Iraqis.

Time to bring the troops home and impeach Bush and Cheney.