Syndicated Columnist, Washington Post Writers Group
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Marie Cocco
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FROM Marie Cocco
To the Point
Democrats Struggle to Unify, Iraqi Cabinet Approves Draft Oil Law Even in the Republican south, 64% tell pollsters they oppose the President's handling of the war in Iraq . With their party now a majority, anti-war Democrats are demanding action to stop the so-called "surge" of additional troops. But on Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has delayed the plan to re-write the 2002 resolution that authorized the invasion; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to endorse colleague John Murtha's plan to condition funding on troop training and readiness. Meantime, Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites agreed yesterday on a new law that would divide Iraq's oil revenues based on population. Since the proven reserves are in the Kurdish North and the Shiite South, the deal is seen as a concession to Sunnis, who are concentrated in the central part of the county. The Bush White House calls it the "key linchpin" to the nation's recovery and it's hoped the Iraqi Parliament will pass it in the next month.
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