Iraq Lawmakers Approve Deal to Form New Government

[Valin]

AOL/AP:

Bushra Juhi
11/13/10

BAGHDAD (Nov. 13) -- Iraqi lawmakers Saturday approved an agreement that aims to bring all of Iraq's feuding political blocs into a new government led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, although deep disagreements remain about the role the country's minority Sunnis will play in the Shiite-led government.

The deal announced this week ended an eight-month impasse that had stalled the formation of a new government and threatened to re-ignite sectarian violence. But the agreement began to unravel almost immediately after it was announced, reflecting the deep distrust that pervades Iraq's sectarian politics.

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Specifically, they wanted to reverse a ban on three of their lawmakers who were prevented from taking up parliament seats for alleged ties to Saddam Hussein's banned Baathist party.

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