Sunnis Denounce "Jewish" Constitution (Lots of Bad News Edition)
So far, it doesn't look like the proposed Iraqi charter is going to gain much in the way of support from Sunnis. Reports the AP:
The absence of Sunni endorsement, after more than two months of intensive negotiations, raised fears of more violence and set the stage for a bitter political fight ahead of the referendum. A political battle threatened to sharpen communal divisions at a time when relations among the Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds appear to be worsening.
To encourage Sunnis to vote in the October referendum, election authorities Monday postponed the deadline for voters to register by one week in the western province of Anbar, a rebellious Sunni stronghold where turnout in the January election was minimal….
"We sacrifice our souls and blood for you, Saddam," chanted the demonstrators. They carried pictures of Shia clerics Muqtada al-Sadr and Jawad al-Khalisi who have joined the Sunnis in opposing the constitutional draft.
Sheik Yahya Ibrahim al-Batawi, an organizer of the protest, read a statement denouncing the "Jewish constitution," saying its goal was to divide Iraq along sectarian and ethnic lines.
Whole thing here.
And more bad news: Journalist death toll exceeds Vietnam and Iraq violence will rise, Bush says.
Remind me again: How do you spell cluster fuck?
Last year, Nir Rosen reported on Iraqi anti-semitism for Reason. His disturbing story here.
