Iraqi parliament speaker slams U.S. officials over criticism of its summer break plans

Iraqi parliament speaker slams U.S. officials over criticism of its summer break plans
The Associated Press
Wednesday, May 9, 2007

BAGHDAD: Iraq's maverick parliament speaker on Wednesday rejected U.S. criticism of the 275-seat legislature over its summer break plans, saying it amounted to unacceptable interference in Iraqi affairs as Vice President Dick Cheney was expected to take up the issue during a visit to Baghdad.

Mahmoud al-Mashhadani did not mention the United States or any U.S. official by name, but his comments to lawmakers, broadcast live on Iraq's state television, left little doubt he was addressing Washington.

In a barb at the Bush administration, he said those behind the criticism of Iraq's parliament would make better use of their time trying to counter criticism by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who is leading a campaign against U.S. President George W. Bush's handling of the war in Iraq.

"You had better try and control Nancy Pelosi rather than Mahmoud al-Mashhadani," the speaker said.

The remarks followed comments by U.S. Ambassador in Iraq Ryan Crocker that Cheney was likely in talks with Iraqi leaders Wednesday to renew a U.S. request that the Iraqi parliament not take a scheduled two-month summer break starting in July.

"For the Iraqi parliament to take a two-month vacation in the middle of summer is impossible to understand," said Crocker, who had traveled from Washington with Cheney.
A recess starting from July may leave several crucial pieces of U.S.-supported legislation unfinished, including a bill for distributing oil revenue and another designed to cement national reconciliation.

Iraqi lawmakers have said they might consider shortening — or even canceling — their planned summer break to continue working. But they insisted that pressure from Washington was not behind the possible holiday-on-hold.

On Wednesday, al-Mashhadani, who has a track record of publicly criticising Iraqi politicians, was more blunt.

"As for the recent calls that surfaced regarding the Iraqi house of deputies, I think this attitude is crude and unacceptable," he said. "I believe the Council of Deputies enjoys full sovereignty in Iraq and can only accept advice through regular channels."

The summer break question first surfaced when some U.S. lawmakers complained that it wasn't right for Iraq's parliament to close up shop while American troops were fighting. But Iraqi legislators were quick to fire back.

"Certainly taking a two-month vacation will have an effect on passing some important laws," Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish lawmaker, said last week. "We can stay if we feel that this is very important, but I think that the worries by the congressmen are premature. Moreover, they themselves take vacation."

The U.S. Congress leaves for four weeks each August — often with important legislation unfinished — and takes a week off, sometimes more, around key holidays.