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Bush touts Iraq charter but warns of new threats

Posted on: Sunday, 28 August 2005, 17:14 CDT

By Adam Entous and Jeremy Pelofsky

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush on Sunday praised Iraq's draft constitution as a step toward full democracy and sought to play down the extent of Sunni opposition, but he predicted an upcoming referendum would spark a new wave of "atrocities."

"As democracy in Iraq takes root, the enemies of freedom, the terrorists, will become more desperate, more despicable, and more vicious," Bush warned.

Despite his personal appeal last week to Iraqi Shi'ites to cut a deal with Sunni Arabs, Bush acknowledged that "some Sunnis have expressed reservations about various provisions of the constitution."

"That's their right," Bush said. But he added, "There are strong beliefs among other Sunnis that this constitution is good for all Iraqis and that it adequately reflects compromises suitable to all groups."

With nearly 1,900 U.S. troops killed in Iraq and anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan camped out near his vacation ranch, Bush has seen his job approval ratings plummet to the lowest levels of his presidency.

Bush wanted to clinch a Sunni-Shi'ite deal on the constitution to boost public confidence in his policies and undercut an insurgency some fear is spiraling into a full-blown civil war.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, called the rejection of Iraq's draft constitution by Sunni negotiators "an enormous setback," adding that "no amount of spin from the administration can hide this basic fact."

The U.S. ambassador in Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, warned on CNN's "Late Edition": "If the Sunnis do not buy into this draft ... then it would be a problem. It could assist the insurgency."

Bush said "the political process now advances to another important stage for a new and free Iraq," and called on Iraqis to "actively engage in the constitutional process by debating the merits of this important document and making an informed decision" in the October 15 referendum.

While not predicting the outcome of the vote, Bush said "this is a document of which the Iraqis and the rest of the world can be proud."

Citing the spate of recent insurgent attacks killing civilians, Bush predicted, "We can expect such atrocities to increase in the coming months because the enemy knows that its greatest defeat lies in the expression of free people in freely enacted laws and at the ballot box."

An estimated 25,000 civilians were killed in just the first two years after the war began, according to Iraq Body Count, a U.S.-British nonprofit group.

ANTI-WAR VIGIL CONTINUES

As Bush touted the Iraqi constitution on his ranch, civil rights activist and one-time Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton joined Sheehan at her vigil nearby.

"This is not about what party you're part of. This is about right and wrong," said Sharpton. He called Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq, "the conscience of this nation."

But Sheehan's call for withdrawing troops ran into opposition on Sunday from Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, a member of the Senate Democratic leadership. "If we withdrew tomorrow there would be a blood bath in Iraq. We can't do that," Dorgan told Fox News Sunday.

Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, also warned on Sunday that "a premature withdrawal would be catastrophic in its consequences." He called the Pentagon to send at least an additional 15,000 to 20,000 troops and "improve our tactics" against the insurgency.

Despite Sunni reservations, Bush said the draft constitution "contains far-reaching protections for fundamental human freedoms including religion, assembly, conscience and expression."

"It declares that all Iraqis are equal before the law without regard to gender, ethnicity and religion," Bush said.

(Additional reporting by Mark Felsenthal)

Source: REUTERS

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