The Iraq Timetable

Yesterday, with much fanfare, the Bush Administration unveiled a timetable for Iraqis to get control over the sectarian violence and Shiite/Sunni militias that are tearing the country apart.

Two weeks before U.S. midterm elections, American officials unveiled a timeline Tuesday for Iraq’s Shiite-led government to take specific steps to calm the world’s most dangerous capital but said more U.S. troops might be needed to quell the bloodshed.

At the news conference with Casey, Khalilzad said the timeline would require Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government to set dates by the end of the year for completing six key tasks.

Five of the markers are clearly designed to mollify Sunni Arabs, the Muslim sect that makes up the bulk of the insurgency and is responsible for most American deaths in Iraq.

The plan seeks deadlines for passing a law that would guarantee the sharing of Iraq’s oil wealth, amending the constitution, turning an anti-Baathist organization into a reconciliation body, disbanding Shiite militias and setting a date for provincial elections – all key issues for Sunnis.

The de-Baathification Commission was established after the toppling of Saddam Hussein to ensure that members of the dictator’s political organization did not hold government positions.

The sixth measure called for “increasing the credibility and capability of Iraqi forces.”

This is good news, right? Finally, a timetable for the Iraqi government that would eventually lead to a withdrawal of US forces, right?

Not so fast my friend…

The defiant al-Maliki also slammed the top U.S. military and diplomatic representatives in Iraq for saying Iraq needed to set a timetable to curb violence ravaging the country.

“I affirm that this government represents the will of the people and no one has the right to impose a timetable on it,” al-Maliki said at a news conference.