A16 The World iraq from A1
near-daily attacks across the country. The top U.S. commander in
Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, has in- sisted that political troubles and continuing violence will not keep American troops from leaving the country on schedule, although he said he would be concerned if the issue is not resolved by October. Allawi’s Sunni-backed coali-
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2010 Iraqi politicians don’t expect political impasse to be resolved by fall
tion, Iraqiya, won 91 seats in the new parliament. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s bloc came in a close second, winning 89. Ap- pointing a new prime minister re- quires at least 163 votes. Political leaders agree in prin- ciple that the new government should be inclusive. But the two leading blocs have quarreled over whether the constitution gives the top vote-getter the right to form the incoming government,
or whether a larger coalition as- sembled after the vote could earn that right.
Smaller political factions that could break the deadlock remain undecided. Neighboring coun- tries, meanwhile, have weighed in forcefully. Iran backs the creation of a government led by religious Shiites, while Syria, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are reportedly sup- porting Allawi, a secular Shiite whose coalition received strong
support from Sunni voters. This summer, Iraqis took to the
streets to protest the govern- ment’s inability to deliver more than a few hours of electricity per day. Iraqis increasingly speak dis- paragingly about their leaders, and imams around the country have spoken out against poor gov- ernance at Friday prayers. “Now, everything is stopped,”
said Nadjha Khadum, the editor of the Ur News agency Web site.
“There’s no work, no jobs. People are waiting. People are just buy- ing food and saving money be- cause they are afraid the situation will get worse in the future — worse than in 2006 and 2007,” years marked by a brutal insur- gency. Iraqi lawmakers began collect- ing their $10,000 monthly pay- checks a month ago. But they have convened only twice since the ratification of the election re- sults in June. Both times they ad- journed quickly, having failed to elect a speaker. “The longer this drags on, the more incumbent it is on all of the individuals to look seriously at necessary compromises,” Gary Grappo, the U.S. Embassy’s top political officer, said Monday in an interview. “Until recently, there has been a bit of hesitation. It has been difficult for any of the sides to make the first gesture or take the first step.” The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to meet Wednesday to renew the mandate of the organi- zation’s Iraq mission. Iraqi lead- ers have long wanted the Security Council to completely lift the sanctions imposed on Iraq after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Iraq- is also want more control over Iraqi money seized as part of the sanctions that is now in accounts creditors can’t access. “The slow process might give
Unlimited texting feels better on a free phone.
the U.N. Security Council the chance to pass recommendations unacceptable to the Iraqi people,” Sunni lawmaker Ezzedine al- Dawla said recently. Other Iraqi officials say foreign mediation, while unfortunate, is
the best hope for a resolution. American officials say they would consider taking on a more assertive mediation role if the Iraqis asked. So far, though, no bloc leaders
have asked for greater U.S. in- tervention, likely fearing that whoever prevails would be seen as an American stooge. Hanging in the balance is the
legacy of the United States’ seven- year war in Iraq, which the Oba- ma administration will soon start calling “Operation New Dawn,” rather than “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” The longer the process drags
on, U.S. officials say, the harder it will be for them to smoothly transfer U.S. initiatives and proj- ects to the Iraqi government. U.S. commanders will also have lim- ited time to forge strong relation- ships with senior Iraqi security officers if the incoming Iraqi gov- ernment were to reshuffle the leadership of its security agen- cies. Perhaps more significant, Alla- wi said, are the implications for the U.S. goal of establishing a de- mocracy in the heart of the Mid- dle East.
“Right now, if you ask any
Iraqi: What do you think of de- mocracy? They will say it’s blood, stagnation, unemployment, refu- gees, cheating,” Allawi said. “If de- mocracy does not succeed in Iraq and tyranny is replaced by an- other tyranny, there will be no legacy.”
londonoe@washpost.com
Special correspondent K.I. Ibrahim contributed to this report.
OLIVER BERG/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE VIA GETTY IMAGES
Thousands of people flocked to Duisburg to mourn 21 people who were crushed to death at the Love Parade festival last weekend.
Music festival victims mourned in Germany
Associated Press
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duisburg, germany — Thousands of grief-stricken mourners watched in tears Satur- day as rescue workers lit one white candle for each of the 21 people crushed to death in a tun- nel at the Love Parade techno- music festival. Nearly 500 people attended the memorial at Salvator church in the western city of Duisburg — the scene of the tragedy a week ago — and thousands more watched the event on screens in the city’s football stadium and a dozen other churches. Several TV stations carried the service live, and flags across the country flew at half-staff. “The Love Parade was danced
to death,” Nikolaus Schneider, leader of the Evangelical Church in Rhineland, said in his opening sermon, following somber organ music and prayers for the de- ceased. “In the middle of a cel- ebration of lust for life, death showed its ugly face to all of us.” The 21 people who died were
ages 18 to 38 and included citi- zens of Spain, Australia, Italy, Bosnia, China and Holland. About 500 people were injured, and 25 remain hospitalized. Among those at the church
were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Christian Wulff, relatives of the victims and relief workers who had helped rescue the injured. Franz-Josef Overbeck, the Ro-
man Catholic bishop of the neigh- boring city of Essen, said: “Life can be so oppositional: One mo- ment there is a party, the next moment we are lying helplessly on the ground.” Several rescue workers also
spoke, as well as Hannelore Kraft, the governor of the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where Duisburg is located. Kraft talked about the many
partygoers who survived the mass panic and now have to find ways to live with their traumatic experiences. Her son, Jan, 17, also attended the Love Parade but was not injured. “There are many thousands who survived but whose souls were injured,” Kraft said. “They are suffering in silence.” Anger has been building in re-
cent days over the city’s and the festival organizer’s not taking re- sponsibility for the deaths. More than 250 people protested in Duisburg on Thursday and de- manded the resignation of Mayor Adolf Sauerland. People blame Sauerland and
the city’s authorities for failing to adequately plan for the event. Private organizers also have been criticized for allegedly trying to squeeze as many as 1.4million revelers into too small a space and for allowing only one access point onto the festival grounds. It is not clear how many people
attended the Love Parade, but current estimates are 150,000 to 300,000 people, much lower than originally thought.
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