Iraq Faces Political Deadlock
07 March 2006
Iraq's main Shi'ite political alliance has asked President Jalal Talabani to delay the first session of parliament, in order to give the parties more time to break a deadlock over forming a new government.
Mr. Talabani this week said parliament would convene March 12 to satisfy a constitutional requirement for the opening of the legislature.
But officials from the main alliance party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, say they need a few more days to select a leader for a national government. Kurdish, Sunni and secular politicians are opposed to Shi'ite Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari sitting for a second term.
Also Tuesday, three policemen were killed in attacks in Baiji and Hillah.
And Al-Jazeera Arabic television aired a videotape showing three of four Christian peace activists held hostage in Iraq. The video did not show the American who was abducted along with them in November.
The video showed two Canadians (James Loney and Harmeet Sooden) and one Briton (Norman Kember), but not Tom Fox.
Separately, a new (ABC News-Washington Post) public opinion survey indicates 80 percent of Americans questioned think the Shi'ite-Sunni tensions in Iraq will lead to a civil war. The poll also found that about 50 percent of Americans surveyed think the United States is making progress in establishing a democratic government in Iraq.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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