What Iraqis are saying about the Biden-Brownback-Boxer amendment

[jillan]

http://babylonians.wordpress.com/2007/09/30/the-politicians-who-need-to-learn-how-to-read/

Babylonian Society

September 30, 2007

Iraqi politicians are going crazy! The Senate wants to divide Iraq! Did those politicians read the Biden-Brownback-Boxer amendment? Did they even read the Iraqi constitution? Iraq’s biggest tragedy is its politicians’ refusal to deal with reality. 86 years of tragedies… we demand change and Iraq old-style is not working anymore.

In recent op-ed, Sarmad Aqrawi says: “I just can’t understand why people went crazy over the Biden amendment? It’s already in the Iraqi constitution!” He adds: “Supporters of federalism among Shiites and Kurds are attacked for no reason whatsoever.” Aqrawi translated Senator Biden’s call to support his amendment and challenged all Iraqis to find something that would suggest breaking Iraqi laws in the Biden amendment

Said al-Faham, a Shiite writer says in another op-ed: “I consider Mr. Biden a man who really loves Iraq!” He criticizes the crazy campaign against the Biden amendment saying that: “we think with our hearts refusing to deal with reality. Iraq is a fake state since the day it was born and it’s already divided!”

Al-Faham adds: “we should support Mr. Biden’s plan. This is our last chance and we should not waste it.”

Adnan al-Babili, an Iraqi writer, says in a recent article titled “There’s nothing wrong with partition”: “the Senate’s decision to support federalism in Iraq reflects a realistic approach to the Iraqi conflict. What keeps Iraq united is in fact the American existence.”

It’s time for a new Iraq and nothing will take us back to the old days of persecution. If you don’t like Biden’s proposal, what’s your idea.

There’s that Chinese proverb: It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness. Please, people stop cursing the darkness and try to light a candle… try to bring hope to the hopeless condition in Iraq like what the Biden-Brownback-Boxer amendment offers and if you can’t light a candle, if you don’t have a idea to stop the killings and suffer Iraqis live with everyday, please shut up!

The US policy makers need to know that Arabs have had difficulty in making decisions so please help them. Current Iraq is a British made. “Percy Cox” the British military leader had given Abdul-Aziz bin Saud (the father and founder of modern Saudi Arabia) 5 days to define the borders (between Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq) but he failed. So Cox treated him like a school kid and said to him “I am going to define the borders myself” which he actually did. Now although Arab leaders represented by Abdul-aziz failed to draw borders in the 1920s, they die fighting to preserve Cox’s map. That tells you how inept and impotent Arabs are in terms of political legislations. USA, please do something. trust me 10 years from now they are going to consider your act (in dividing Iraq into 3 federal regions) sacred because it will work for them.

[jillan]

1. and this from Reuters

Opponents of federalism were also using the Senate vote to portray the concept as a foreign agenda, they said.

"Some people who do not believe in federalism and want a central system benefited from this by campaigning against it and made it look as if it's a campaign to divide Iraq," a Shi'ite politician who declined to speak publicly said.

"I have read (the resolution) very well and it doesn't mention dividing Iraq at all. I'm sure people who are rejecting it have not even read it, they probably just heard what the media reported."
------------------------------

Anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who unlike many Shi'ite leaders is opposed to federalism, says no federal regions should be created until U.S.-led forces leave Iraq.

http://www.reuters.com/article/gc05/idUSKAR75838120071001?pageNumber=2

[kad7777]

4. "...I'm sure people who are rejecting it ...

...have not even read it, they probably just heard what the media reported."

Kinda sounds like how many Americans pick their leaders.

[jillan]

5. What I am thinking is those are against it don't want to lose their power;

Or the $ that bush is stuffing in their pockets.

[karynnj]

14. Some like Maliki have read it - but it is against their personal interest

As Kerry has said on the need for a deadline, many Iraqis have a view that by not settling for anything now they can get everything they want. The Shiites want a Shiite led Islamic state. The Sunnis want back in power etc This might be even if Bush backed this call for a summit, they might need the dead line to force them to make choices. Even if Bush signs this bill, he likely will not do it. It is a non-binding sense of teh senate resolution. A call for a similar summit - not constrained to fins a partition agreement - was included in the defense appropriations bill this time last year. It was Kerry's amendment and Warner agreed to it, so it was approved on a voice vote.

[robinlynne]

2. They just had Iraquis opposed to the ammendment on the news, exactly 2:

a Sunni leader (They live in the only area without oil.) and al-maliki.

[jillan]

7. They will have to share the oil in order for it to work.

And maybe that's another reason why so many were outspoken against it.

[demommom]

8. It is no surprise that Maliki would be opposed...

he dosen't want to lose his position of power and he is Bush's puppet.

[PatSeg]

3. That's powerful stuff

Especially that last sentence: "trust me 10 years from now they are going to consider your act (in dividing Iraq into 3 federal regions) sacred because it will work for them."

[jillan]

6. This part got to me -

There’s that Chinese proverb: It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness. Please, people stop cursing the darkness and try to light a candle… try to bring hope to the hopeless condition in Iraq like what the Biden-Brownback-Boxer amendment offers and if you can’t light a candle, if you don’t have a idea to stop the killings and suffer Iraqis live with everyday, please shut up!

I feel like these people felt hope, and their leaders are trying to take their hope away.

[PatSeg]

11. As leaders in many countries tend to do

[demommom]

9. K&R

[jillan]

10. More from today

The only positive to come out of the deadlocked Congress is Sen. Biden’s Iraqi federalism plan, overwhelmingly endorsed last week by all Democrats and even a majority of Senate Republicans.

Whether the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds can be separated into their own fiefdoms is not a sure bet, but at least Sen. Biden’s decentralization scheme could be a start toward a more stable Iraq.



Very encouraging!

[demommom]

12. Kick

[PatSeg]

15. You know Biden's resolution got lost in the press

because of the controversial Libermann/Kyle amendment about Iran, which is all the MSM seems to be covering.

[murbley40]

13. K&R

[murbley40]

16. Everyone should read this

[Supersedeas]

17. when will the GoP/Media Establishment start covering some substance about the politics in Iraq