IRAQ’S national security adviser said yesterday his country will not accept any security deal with the US unless it contains specific dates for the withdrawal of US-led forces.

Iraq’s Shiite alliance nominated tough-talking politician Jawad al-Maliki as prime minister, in a move that broke the long impasse over forming a new government to pull the country out of its sectarian strife.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari’s party will stick by him as the Shiite nominee for a second term and will put forward the name of a new candidate only if the premier decides to step aside, a top party official said today.

Five of the top Sunni Arabs in government spoke out against the draft constitution today – a major blow to deadline efforts to craft a document that can win the backing of all Iraqi groups.