An
interesting development:
Iraq's most influential Sunni group will abandon its call for a boycott of Jan. 30 elections if the United States gives a timetable for withdrawing multinational forces, a spokesman for the group said Sunday. Members of the powerful Association of Muslim Scholars relayed their request to a senior U.S. embassy official at a meeting Saturday, the Sunni official said on condition of anonymity. The meeting was confirmed Saturday by U.S. Embassy spokesman Bob Callahan, who said an unnamed senior embassy official in Iraq met with leading association members in an effort to persuade them to participate in the landmark election for a constitutional assembly.
From a purely political standpoint for the Sunnis, that's pretty nice positioning - we're not against elections, we want the Americans out. And the U.S. response? The report says the following without attribution:
It is extremely unlikely the United States would consider giving a timetable for a withdrawal.
Hmmm.
More on the flip
Who asked for the meeting?
The Sunni official said the U.S. Embassy initiated the meeting, and the association was represented by its chief, Sheik Harith al-Dhari, and public relations chief Abdul-Salam al-Kobeisi.
What did the Sunnis say?
Dr. Harith al-Dhari insisted that a timeframe for the withdrawal of the occupation forces be set and guaranteed by the United Nations" the official said. "If this happened, the association will call on other parties who declared the boycott to participate in the elections," the Sunni official said, adding that an end to the boycott did not necessarily mean the association itself would participate.
A sign of strength for the Sunnis?
The Sunni officials said the meeting with the American diplomat was fruitful "because the Americans now know who has a sway on the Iraqi streets. They now know where to go to and who to talk to."
Sinn Fein anyone?