UN envoy discusses 'crucial year' for Iraq

Posted: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 9:37 AM

By Karl Bostic, NBC News Producer

Iraq's parliament passed a provincial elections bill on Tuesday despite a walkout by Kurdish parliamentarians angered over how the law would deal with the disputed city of Kirkuk.

The provincial election plan -- strongly backed by Washington -- would shift more political powers to regions and is viewed by Sunni Arabs as path to gain more influence over decisions by the Shiite-led government. U.S. officials see the voting as another key step in national reconciliation.

But a timeline for the elections has been a major source of dispute. The U.N. Special Representative to Iraq, Stephan de Mistura, explains the importance of the local elections to NBC News and why this is a "make or break time for Iraq."

VIDEO: Stephan de Mistura, the U.N. Special Representative to Iraq, explains why Iraqi provincial elections are key

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Comments

We need to exit Iraq just as soon, you heard their President its time for us to get the hec out of there-we invaded, predicated on lies, Killed over 100 thousand Iraqi civilians thru collateral damage-I nice phrase to soften the blow of the truth the majority was murdered by our troops-caught up in crossfire or whatever- we are occupiers by force-they want us out-let's leave, this whole thing is a total failure- I have deployed twice, its time to leave.

Ray "Rock" Mundial FOB Yankee, Kuwait (MPRI) (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 2:50 PM)

BUSH got us into this mess by lying, I am lifelong republican, but this time its Obama, the immoral way conduct business through out this world is just morally wrong and we have become enemy.

Keri Petterson Amsterdam NL (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 2:53 PM)

When I hear McCain talk about being in there for 100 years, I can only think, " has Grandpa forgot too take his meds today".

Bush/ROVE/Chenney lied and got us into this mess (Iraq), plus they messed up our economy- they got to go- Obama all the way!!!!!!

Marvin "Beastman" Eastman NYC (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 2:58 PM)

How much more money must be wasted on Iraq-that's money that could be spent here in the Un United States, what a misrable failure this debalce in Iraq has become.

Cathy Irby San Diego, CA (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:00 PM)

No part of Iraq was "Kurdish" as "Kurds" originate from the Aryan Mountains. They invaded and occupied Northern Iraq, and now they are threatening the stability of all Iraqis.

Originally an Assyrian city, like all Northern Iraq, Kirkuk was home to Assyrians, Arabs, Turkmen, Armenians, etc...

Today, Kurds are claiming it. Ironic, is it not?

marroush (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 11:55 PM)

Kurdish leaders should be brave and regain Kirkuk by force and run a referandum by themselves with UN. after all it is an outstanding constitutional right.

Kurdish leaders are bribed by US to shut their mouth..but Kurdish people wouldnot accept this for ever..i expect Kurds to raise against their leader and stop continuation of arabisation.

London (Sent Wednesday, July 23, 2008 1:59 AM)

Obama is right, get out of Iraq ASAP, can we start leaving in November after he wins the election. Time to end this trail of failures.

Karen Campione' Liverpool (UK) (Sent Wednesday, July 23, 2008 9:32 AM)

Wow didn't realise the war so unpopular, the best thing that can happen is the Kurds declare their independence-yes, I agree with the others here (they do need to learn how to spell though), Bush is a liar and should be arrested and be charged with war crimes, and Senator Obama is right, time to focus somewhere else.

Debra S. Murray NYC (Sent Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:59 PM)

US came and got the country into the mess now want to run away like cowrd men and say bye!! ..they have a moral oblication to stay until the job is done..as long as it takes..

london (Sent Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:06 AM)

Kurds should stop been a Mr Nice guy and should not compromise their right and give away everything just because US want to make sunnis happy..after all Kurds faught against sadam with US army and before them. so they deseve to be allowed to impliment the iraqi constitution that 80% of the country has oted for.

allan (Sent Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:18 AM)

The Kurds deserve their own independent country. One problem, you have the United States Occupying by Force and our totally against a Free Kurdish Territory, Why?, will because OIL is located in only two places in Iraq in Basara and in Kirkut, starting to see the picture? Its about Oil, and of course we Americans don't like any country we can't control, this whole bloody, murderous aggresion in Iraq is over the control of Oil.

Denise Hanson Banning, Ca (Sent Friday, July 25, 2008 7:01 AM)

Kurdish Independence all the way, so glad BUSH is getting ready to say bye-bye, time for Obama to put his plans of global citizenship into play, I have always felt like more citizen of the world, I'm just a person living in the United States (actually I also have a home in Italy and Holland).

Pauline Davis Liverpool (UK) (Sent Friday, July 25, 2008 7:06 AM)

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