Breakthrough Deal Reached On Iraqi Constitution

In case you missed it, it is being reported (MSNBC via the AP) that Iraqis have reached a deal on the constitution.

Under the deal, the two sides agreed on a mechanism to consider amending the constitution after it is approved in Saturday’s referendum. The next parliament, to be formed in December, will set up a commission to consider amendments, which would later have to be approved by parliament and submitted to a referendum.

This seems to be enough to get at least some of the Sunnis to change their mind about the constitution.

A top Sunni negotiator, Ayad al-Samarraie of the Iraqi Islamic Party, said the measure would allow it to “stop the campaign rejecting the constitution and we will call on Sunni Arabs to vote yes.”

It already appeared that the Iraqi constitution was going to be approved. But if it is approved by Shiite, Kurdish, and Sunni people, it will obviously grant a lot of legitimacy to the document. As always the situation in Iraq remains unstable, but this is good news.