Contributed by: filbert Tuesday, August 23 2005 @ 10:01 AM CST
“We are not getting any impression that they are with this side or with that. We feel they are trying to help our side as much as the other side,” said Iyad al-Sammarai, spokesman for the Iraqi Islamic Party, a Sunni political group whose leaders have been arrested by American forces in the past. “I’m sure [the US] has a feeling that if a constitution is approved only by the Shiites and Kurds, they will not get what they want. What they want is stability.”
Still, Mr. Sammarai says it’s unclear how much US pressure can bring in this process, or if the desire for fast results will lead the US to eventually sign off on a constitution without Sunni backing.
“They’re being helpful, but I can’t tell if this is all they can do, or if they can do more,” he says. “I feel Mr. Bush will say we’re going ahead and meeting deadlines, so that’s progress.”
If you see a headline anything close to mine in the major media, please let me know. Otherwise, chalk it up as another example of anti-progress spin from our esteemed “professional” media who are too busy hyperventilating about the Iraqis missing the deadlines for their constitution.