WASHINGTON, April 25 (UPI) -- Three senators have introduced a resolution pressing the White House to warn Iraq U.S. troops will withdraw if political compromises are not made.
Specifically, Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Jack Reed, D-R.I., want the Bush administration to clearly state to the Iraqi government that it must swiftly form a national unity government and accommodate Sunni desires for constitutional amendments or face the potential withdrawal of U.S. troops.
It is a plan Levin has been advancing for the last year, based on the belief that as long as Iraqi political leaders know U.S. forces are there, they could play politics to get what they wanted. Without the security assurances that come with the open-ended presence of U.S. troops, the heavily Shiite and Kurdish government will be forced to accommodate Sunni minority complaints.
Few Sunnis participated in the writing of the constitution because Sunnis largely boycotted the January 2005 election -- some in political protest, others out of fear. Sunnis turned out in larger numbers in subsequent national votes, but largely opposed the constitution as written.
After nearly four months of wrangling, the Iraqi parliament has selected a leadership council, including a president, prime minister and two vice presidents. The prime minister now has 30 days to create a Cabinet. That Cabinet will include two offices of deep interest to Sunnis, who largely comprised the military officer corps under Saddam Hussein -- the Ministry of Defense and the Interior Ministry. The Interior Ministry is of special interest because there is a perception, with some strong supporting evidence, that it has been infiltrated or given over to Shiite militia forces that are persecuting Sunnis.
