Evening copy 8.15.2005

It was a significant day in Iraq, worthy of some evening copy. (Plus, my computer curtailed my a.m. post today).

Delayed constitution

Leading off with Dan Murphy of the Christian Science Monitor, Live from Baghdad. LINK (to story). Excerpt:

But three of the 15 Sunnis on the drafting committee said Sunday they felt they were being railroaded by the Shiite majority and powerful Kurdish minority on the committee. Haseeb Araf, a Sunni leader, said "if some parties are making deals just to advance their own agendas," then Iraq's Sunnis will reject the constitution out of hand.

Hussein Shouker al-Falluji, a more hard-line Sunni on the committee, said, "The other sides are pushing to finish this but we're being ignored. This constitution can't succeed – it's a disaster for Iraq. They're putting all of our problems – ethnic and religious – into this document."

Each of our stories will have slightly different versions of the issues that lead to the delayed constitution. Each will have slightly different quotes as well. In bold font, CSM says it was delayed over "Federalism, Islam and oil".

Murphy makes one point, and has a quote to back it. He says that the consitutional process may be hardening divisions, rather than easing them.

Bassem Mroue, one of our Three Kings tonight, has the following nuance in the Washington Post. LINK. Excerpt:

Al-Jaafari's statement came after an apparent deal late Monday on all but two key issues fell apart, according to several Shiite politicians.

The Shiites said the unresolved issues were women's rights, which is inextricably tied to Islam's role, and the right of Kurds to eventually secede from the country. But al-Jaafari said the key stumbling blocks were distribution of oil wealth and federalism, another, broader way of stating the Kurdish autonomy issue.

Eventual secession from the country? That's going to spin some heads around and require some serious spinning on the part of the administration!

Dexter Filkins, a Hot Shot at the NY Times, adds another nuance to the debate: Kirkuk. LINK. Excerpt:

Before the extension vote, a National Assembly member, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, said today that specific solutions to difficult issues, including federalism and the status of the city of Kirkuk, would be put off for another day.

"There are issues that will be postponed and addressed in a general way," he said.

In an unrelated but related story, the NY Times has an account of editors trying to get the best, most accurate picture of events in Iraq. LINK.

More links

Jimi Hendrix's strange egress from the Screaming Eagles, CNN.com.

Democratic Bloggers have shown some political muscle, according to Tom Curry at MSNBC. LINK. Excerpt:

Assessing the blogger’s role in the Hackett race, David Keating, executive director of the Club for Growth, a conservative group that supports low-tax candidates, said, "It’s a tremendously significant development. The fact that several hundred thousand dollars is raised by people outside the party system is significantly helpful to any candidate."

And, what a wonderful photo of Paul Hackett from Mike Simmons of Getty Image.

There has been the most fascinating convergance on the blogosphere, as Kos pays a great deal of attention to the Cunning Realist. This time, Kos appropriates a CR point to discuss the lack of military involvement across both sides of the aisle, in elected officials and in pundits. Kos, by the way, served in Army Artillery. Bad ass.

Oh, and that link has some great use of art too.

Blog Herald shines the light on Iran curtailing bloggers. LINK.

And finally, Marines use donkeys for harsh Afghan terrain. AP story/St. Lake Tribune LINK.