Iraq visit aims to break deadlock

IRAQ: US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and British foreign secretary Jack Straw began an unannounced two-day visit to Baghdad yesterday with the aim of exerting pressure on Iraqi politicians to agree on a candidate for prime minister.

There is concern in both Washington and London that unless a new government is formed soon, the insurgency and civil conflict could become full-scale warfare.

Ms Rice and Mr Straw must not only contend with opposition from Sunnis and secularists to the Shias' nominee for prime minister but must also deal with the emergence of divisions within the Shia camp and growing Shia hostility towards the US.

Ibrahim al-Jaafari continues to enjoy the support his own Dawa party and of the followers of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, the Sadrists, who constitute the largest faction in the United Iraqi Alliance, the Shia coalition which won the largest number of seats in parliament.

Other Alliance factions seem to be wavering. On Saturday, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) and Fadhila (Virtue), signalled that they might be reconsidering support for Dr Jaafari. Both parties put up candidates during February's balloting and each believes its nominee might win in a second vote.

On one hand, SCIRI's Adel Abdel Mahdi, the outgoing vice- president, was defeated by Dr Jaafari by only one vote. On the other hand, Fadhila believes its nominee, Nadim Jabiri, could emerge as a compromise candi- date since SCIRI's close ties with Tehran could prompt Sunnis and secularists to oppose Mr Abdel Mahdi.

Fadhila also hopes the Sadrists will not back Mr Abdel Mahdi and could be persuaded to support Fadhila's Mr Jabiri. Since Fadhila follows the teachings of Mr al-Sadr's father and uncle, both revered ayatollahs, he considers the party to be Sadrist.

Independent lawmakers who hold a fifth of the seats secured by the Alliance have also called upon Dr Jaafari to stand down in favour of a new candidate.

Meanwhile, ties to Washington are becoming less and less acceptable. Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the highly respected head of the Shia community, has refused to open a letter he received last week from US president George Bush. The letter, apparently, appeals to the ayatollah to back the formation of a national unity government. Shias regard this as a device to deprive them the fruits of their victory in last December's poll.

Dawa legislator Jawad Maliki blames the US for the deteriorating security situation and says US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad has "demolished democracy" by calling for a national unity government.

Fadhila's spiritual mentor, Ayatollah Muhammad Yacoubi, holds the US responsible for sectarian violence and for the failure of the politicians to form a government.

By taking an anti-US stance, Dawa and Fadhila seem to be aligning themselves with the Sadrists, who are regarded by Washington as dangerous Shia antagonists. There is concern that the balance of power within the Alliance could tip in favour of the Sadrists. Of the 128 seats held by the Alliance, Sadrists have 30, Dawa 15, and Fadhila 15; SCIRI has 30 and could count on some of the 26 independents while others could gravitate to the Sadrist camp.

Increasingly, the US is relying on the support of Iran's ally SCIRI whose militiamen have been drafted into anti-insurgency police and army units that are accused of detaining, torturing and killing Sunni and secularist civilians.

There is some danger that Shia rivalries could blossom into inter-Shia conflicts, adding a fourth dimension to the violence gripping Iraq due to the insurgency, Sunni-Shia warfare, and criminal activity.

IRAQ: 20 killed over weekend

BAGHDAD - Two pilots of a helicopter lost south of Baghdad on Saturday are presumed dead and were likely shot down, the US military said yesterday.

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi army arrested 15 suspected insurgents in Mosul and another who tried to plant a roadside bomb in Baghdad on Saturday, the Iraqi army said yesterday.

DUJAIL - US forces killed an insurgent, wounded another and arrested seven more on Saturday during clashes in Dujail, 90km (55 miles) north of Baghdad.

TIKRIT - A civilian was killed on Saturday when a bomb exploded in front of a music shop in Tikrit.

BAIJI - Three policemen were wounded when a roadside bomb hit their patrol in the oil refinery of Baiji, 180km (115 miles) north of Baghdad.

TIKRIT - Iraqi and US soldiers detained 17 suspected insurgents on Friday, officials said.

BALAD ROUZ - Gunmen killed two civilians and wounded three others, including a 12-year-old girl, when they attacked a family heading to Balad Rouz, north of Baghdad, police said.

NEAR BALAD - Four insurgents were killed and another wounded on Saturday after attacks against Iraqi and US soldiers near Balad, the US military said.

RAMADI - Five civilians, including three children, were killed in clashes between US forces and insurgents in Ramadi, a hospital source said.

RIYADH - Two farmers were killed on Saturday by US forces in Riyadh, 40km (25 miles) southwest of Kirkuk, police Lieut Saddam Aasaf said.

BAGHDAD - Two soldiers were killed on Saturday by a roadside bomb in central Baghdad, the US military said.

FALLUJA - A US marine yesterday died from wounds sustained on Friday in Anbar province, the US military said.