Mowaffak al-Rubaie on Baghdad Time

Mowaffak al-Rubaie, the Iraqi National Security Adviser was just interviewed on the “Newshour” and when asked about the status of the all important Oil Sharing Law, or PetroCarbon Sharing Law that will equitably divide Iraq’s oil revenues between the myriad of sects, Mr. al-Rubaie said it only requires the “dotting of the I’s and crossing of the T’s.”

If this is the case, why has it not been passed from the Iraqi Council of Representatives and signed into law by the Prime Minister? I was under the impression the draft had been approved and that is all that need be done.

The way he is talking it would seem like it is a done deal and could be completed within days, but I think we all know that is not the case. This is the one piece of power that the Shi’ites, in my opinion, will be unwilling to give an equal share of to the Sunnis.

I believe this is the one piece of the puzzle that just might guarantee a successful outcome to all the blood and suffering endured these 4 years in Iraq. This would say to the Sunnis that they have a stake in the future of Iraq, that they are considered equals among the leading Shi’ites.

Alas I am not optimistic given the past on this issue. Mr. al-Rubaie said last year they would have that piece of legislation in place January of 2007. Now we are in May 2007 and that same Council of Representatives had voted to take a two-month vacation this summer before that law is passed.

Mr. al-Rubaie said that they plan on changing the vacation to either five weeks or one week, however he wasn’t too clear on that poin. But just that fact that they had planned on vacationing while the American military bleeds so that they could have time to pass legislation of such importance does not leave me with much confidence the Shi’ites are willing to share this power.

One point Mr. al-Rubaie completely avoided when asked was concerning the RE-Ba’athification, as I call it. This is another piece of legislation that seeks to reintegrate a large part of the Sunni populace that was discarded by the CPA following the invasion.

The original decision by the CPA said that just about anyone that was a member of the Ba’ath, or ruling party, of Saddam Hussein was not welcome in the new Iraq. Unfortunately the CPA did not do their homework since almost anyone who wanted to move up the ladder in the Hussein Iraq had to belong to the party, including low-level Army officers, police and even teachers. Yes they fired thousands of teachers.

One should read "Fiasco" by Thomas E. Ricks to get a full understanding of the ramifications of this decision by Pro-Consul Bremer.

Mr. Ricks quotes the CIA station chief in Baghdad as saying to Pro Consul Bremer upon learning of this impending action that “By nightfall, you’ll have driven 30,000 to 50,000 Baathists underground. And in six months, you’ll really regret this.”

He obviously was exactly correct and we have paid the price in American and Iraqi blood and treasure ever since.

I don’t have any confidence these important pieces of legislation will be passed given the lack of a sense of urgency by the Iraqi Governing Council and the simple fact that they do not even want to be in session while the U.S. military is buying them the very time they have asked for to get their house in order.

So, the President dispatched his scheduler in Chief, Vice President Cheney to Iraq in hopes of convincing the Iraqi's that time is of the essence.

What time is it Mr. Vice President?

Its "Its game time in Iraq", saith Mr. Cheney.