Last-minute withdrawal of new Iraq constitution

IRAQI leaders finished their draft constitution yesterday and prepared to submit it to parliament - but withdrew it in the final minutes in order to give time to win over the Sunni Arab community whose support is key to ending the insurgency.

The parliament gathered in Baghdad with just minutes remaining before a midnight deadline to adopt the constitution, which still faced fierce resistance from minority Sunnis over the issue of federalism, which they fear could cut them out of most of the country's vast oil wealth, as well as power relations among the provinces.

Parliament speaker Hajim al-Hassani then announced that there was strong interest in reaching unanimity on the draft "so that the constitution pleases everyone".

"The draft constitution has been received and we will work on solving the remaining problems God willing."

Afterwards, he said that the main outstanding issues were federalism, the formation of federal units, problems related to mentioning the Ba'ath Party in the constitution, and the division of powers between the president, the parliament and the cabinet.

Repeated delays are a deep embarrassment for the Bush administration at a time of growing doubts within the US over the mission in Iraq.

Washington had applied enormous pressure on the Iraqis to meet the original August 15 deadline but parliament instead had to grant a week's extension, which they again failed to meet.

"It is not possible to please everyone," said Humam Hammoudi, Shi'ite chairman of the 71-member committee.

The first deadline to adopt a constitution expired a week ago, with Parliament voting to extend it for seven days. The legislature supposedly had to disband if the deadline was not met, but lawmakers said nothing about that yesterday.

Shi'ites and Kurds have enough seats in parliament to win approval for a draft without the Sunni Arabs. But the Sunni minority could scuttle the constitution when voters decide whether to ratify it in the October 15 referendum.

In addition, an attempt by Shi'ites and Kurds to win parliamentary agreement without the Sunnis could risk a backlash within the community.

The showdown on the constitution came as violence persisted in Iraq.

The US military said two US soldiers from Task Force Liberty were killed by a roadside bomb during a combat patrol north of Baghdad, and two more soldiers died when their vehicle overturned near Tal Afar.