on the unraveling of the political process in iraq:
The largest Sunni bloc in Parliament may intend to withdraw from the political process, al-Melaf reports in Arabic. The news agency cites an "informed source" inside the Tawafuq Front who reportedly said that the outstanding arrest warrants for Tawafuq MPs have led the bloc to plan its withdrawal announcement.
(...) A Tawafuq withdrawal from the political process could deliver a serious blow to the Iraqi regime. Tawafuq has remained in the opposition in Parliament, but its participation in the body has provided lent legitimation to the Iraqi regime by providing Sunni representation in the process. Absent the Tawafuq presence in Parliament, this claim of Iraqi Sunni Arab representation in the political process would be harder to sustain.