Crawford, Texas – President Bush on Sunday promoted a proposed Iraqi constitution that goes to voters without the Sunni backing the White House aggressively worked to secure, hailing the document for offering “far-reaching protections for human freedoms.”
Mindful that a direct U.S. campaign to win over voters in Sunni-dominated provinces could do more harm than good, Bush stopped short of asking Iraqis to vote for it or predicting it would be approved. But as he urged all Iraqis to at least debate its merits, he lavishly praised the proposal that negotiators finalized Sunday.
“Their example is an inspiration to all who share the universal values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law,” Bush told reporters from a helicopter hangar at his Texas ranch. “This is a document of which the Iraqis and the rest of the world can be proud.”
Bush dismissed the constitution’s rejection by 15 members of the Sunni negotiating team as the opinion of a few.
“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,” he said.
Democrats expressed little optimism.
“I hope events unfold as he suggests, but I’m not yet there. I heard the president, for example, say that some Sunnis were in support of this,” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said on CNN’s “Late Edition.” “My sense is that there is a lot of opposition among Sunnis, that this is going to be a very heavy lift to bring them on board.”
Added Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., on NBC’s “Meet the Press”: “They still have no concrete plan as to how we’re going to proceed other than hope and pray that this constitution is accepted by the Iraqi people, which seems to me like a tough bet.”
Republicans took hope in signs of progress, but without much enthusiasm.
“We really don’t know right now what’s going on, on the ground over there. It changes by the hour, with respect to this constitution,” Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I think we’re making what I believe is progress.”
