Maneuvering in Mesopotamia

Aljazeera.Net - Sunni party backs Iraq charter in deal

With three days to do before the referendum, there are last-minute deals on the question of the Iraq constitution in order to make it somewhat less unattractive for the Sunni section of the population.

The details of this latest deal is somewhat unclear from media reporting, but it evidently amounts to some sort of mechanism to review the possibility of changing key elements of the constitution, although these changes would also have to be approved by a referendum.

Whether this will have any significant effect on the Sunni position remains to be seen. Evidently, there has been strong US pressure to do something to get a more inclusive process.

There is distinct nerveousness in Washington and London over where the process is really heading.

And there are very sound reasons for that nerveousness.