DEEP DIVISIONS MAR ANY ATTEMPT AT IRAQ UNITY

While Vice President Dick Cheney boasts about the success of "the surge," on Tuesday major political blocs of Sunni and Shiites boycotted a national conference which was designed to bring reconciliation to Iraq.

Iraq is being torn apart by the warring factions and any success of "the surge" is of little importance to the overall stabilization of Iraq.

Divisions mar Iraq unity meeting

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 18 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq;_ylt=AmmPGBB2lizC8v1ZIdtzWwlX6GMA

Major Sunni and Shiite political blocs Tuesday boycotted a national conference aimed at reconciling Iraq's rival communities — underscoring the deep divisions tearing at the country despite a decline in violence.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite, opened the two-day conference, pledging that no religious or ethnic group would suffer as Iraq tries to heal its internal rifts.

But the two major Sunni blocs — the Iraqi Accordance Front and the Front for National Dialogue — refused to attend, saying the Shiite-dominated government had failed to meet Sunni demands.

Members of the Shiite bloc loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr walked out following the opening ceremonies, which took place in the U.S.-protected Green Zone.

Nassar al-Rubaie, head of the pro-Sadr faction in parliament, said his group did not want to appear hostile to reconciliation but "we don't want our presence to be ceremonial or sit like guests of honor."

Sunni leaders have complained that al-Maliki has failed to release detainees not charged with specific crimes, has not disbanded Shiite militias and has not sufficiently included Sunni lawmakers in decision-making on security issues.

"How we can attend a reconciliation meeting?" said Saleem Abdullah, a spokesman for the Accordance Front. "There are many points that are still not fulfilled."