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War Every Day (eIraq Blog)
Iraq in the News: More bombings and what if the securty pact fails?

Jeff Severns Guntzel, Electronic Iraq

Nov 4, 2008

After a wave of bombings yesterday has not abated today. Where at least 11 people were killed and 26 wounded in two separate blasts--one in a car park in eastern Baghdad, the other on a roadside in northern Baghdad.

Meanwhile, military commanders at the Iraqi Ministry of Defense told the Iraqi parliament that they are prepared to take over for the Multi National Forces if a security pact does not pass by December 31st.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani shot down Kurdish leader Massud Barzani's invitation for the United States to build military bases in the Kurdish region if a security pact fails. Talabani, also Kurdish, said "It is not possible for US troops to stay in Kurdistan without the approval of the central government. Kurdistan is part of Iraq, and all of the country's constitutional laws apply to it."

Iraq's parliament has voted in favor of quotas guaranteeing a handful of provincial seats to Iraq's minority groups. The plan gives one seat for Christian parties on the provincial councils of Baghdad, Nineveh and Basra. Sabians get one seat in Baghdad. Yazidis and Shabaks each get one seat on the Nineveh council. This is a key step towards regional elections due to take place at the end of January but it has also planted a seed of resentment--Christians have demanded stronger representation and are bristling at their single seat.