Meanwhile, back in Iraq...
Juan Cole reports that two letters have been sent to the UN dealing with the inclusion of the Bremer/IGC created interim Constitution (aka the Transitional Administrative Law, or TAL) in the resolution that is supposed to be passed today.
Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the single most influential leader in Iraq, has made it abundantly clear that legitimizing this document is unacceptable. But Barzani and Talibani--the leaders of the two Kurdish factions---are equally adamant about ensuring that the Interim Constitution is sanctioned by the UN....
http://www.juancole.com/
Sistani writes..
any attempt to bestow legitimacy on it through mentioning it in the UN resolution would be considered an action contrary to the will of the Iraqi people and a harbinger of grave consequences.
The Kurdish leadership responds with
If the TAL is abrogated, the Kurdistan Regional Government will have no choice but to refrain from participating in the central government and its institutions, not to take part in the national elections, and to bar representatives of the central Government from Kurdistan.
In other words, Sistani is talking about "grave consequences" if the Interim Constitution is recognized by the UN, while the Kurds are threatening to withdraw from the Interim Government---and basically declaring independence if it isn't incorporated in the UN resolution.
Does anyone want to bet that no resolution is passed today?