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Clinton Opposes Exclusion of Sunnis From Iraq Election

David Gollust | State Department | 05 February 2010


(Photo: AP) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham at the State Department in Washington, 05 Jan 2010

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday the United States would oppose any new effort to exclude large numbers of Sunni Arab politicians from Iraq's March 7 parliamentary elections. Iraq's most senior Sunni official, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi discussed the issue in Washington this week with top administration officials.

Obama administration officials are worried that the exclusion of Sunnis from the election would undermine the process and perhaps spur new unrest that could complicate U.S. troop withdrawal plans.

An Iraqi government panel last month disqualified more that 500 Sunni candidates for being members or supporters of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's Baath party.

A panel of Iraqi judges on Wednesday ordered the reinstatement of the candidates. But the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called the decision illegal and indicated it would submit the matter to the current parliament.

Iraqi Vice President al-Hashimi raised concern about the issue in a round of Washington meetings this week including a White House meeting with Vice President Joe Biden Monday that was briefly joined by President Obama.

Al-Hashimi told reporters late Thursday the U.S. administration is considering the idea of refusing to recognize the election if the Sunnis are again excluded.

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