Iraqis to consider self-ruling regions

[tocqueville]

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 42 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's feuding ethnic and sectarian groups agreed Sunday to consider amending the constitution and begin debating legislation to create a federated nation, while the Shiite prime minister appealed for an end to violence during Ramadan.

Despite Nouri al-Maliki's plea for peace, violence killed at least 20 Iraqis and wounded 37 a day before the official start of the Muslim holy month. Two U.S. Marines died in combat in restive Anbar province west of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.

Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish political leaders broke a two-week deadlock and agreed on a compromise that will allow parliament to take up Shiite-proposed draft legislation to permit creation of partly self-ruling regions.

Sunni Arabs have fought the federalism bill, fearing it will splinter the country and deny them a share of Iraq's oil, which is found in the predominantly Kurdish north and the heavily Shiite south.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060925/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[DemInDistress]

1. if they want to divide Iraq into 3 states, North,South and Central

Iraq then both the North and South need to contribute 40% of the oil royalties to Central Iraq. Then maybe they can come together and begin to rebuild that country provided of course bush brings the troops home and no more free oil for the BFEE.

[MADem]

2. Why, how shocking....NOT

Of course, the sunnis are gonna want some of that oil revenue the Kurds have their eye on in Kirkuk. And the Turks will gripe, too, count on it.

The only way this could possibly work is if the sunnis were given a small slice off the Kurdish and shi'a assets to keep them happy. So long as everyone's getting paid, I'd bet they'd all be happy as clams (save the Turks to the north).

But money talks, and Uncle Sam is doing as much if not more skimming than Uncle Saddam used to do.

It would solve the Monkey's "Iraq Problem" and freedom would be on the march (the freedom to establish new venues of corruption at the Shi'a and Sunni governmental levels) but they'd have to promise to keep those gas prices low. I get the feeling the Saudis are tired of being the main guys keeping that spigot wide open....

[Erika]

3. Iraq was a created nation by the West

and the tribes show no loyalties to each other. They have no national allegiance. Perhaps they can create some monetary money sharing allegiance, but there is no allegiance of tribes in the area designated by the west as Iraq.