BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's top Shi'ite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish political leaders announced on Sunday they had reached consensus on some key measures seen as vital to fostering national reconciliation.Read it here.
The agreement by the five leaders was one of the most significant political developments in Iraq for months and was quickly welcomed by the United States, which hopes such moves will ease sectarian violence that has killed tens of thousands.
Two reasons for MSM silence seem to be applicable here. First of all some Sunni leaders have stated that despite the new deal they will continue to boycott the Iraqi Parliament [here]. They will hold out, they say "until more of their demands are met." In other words there's still some haggling to do, but then there always is. The intransigence of some Sunnis gives story editors an excuse for downplaying the larger deal.
The second reason has to do with American domestic politics. The original story notes:
The apparent breakthrough comes two weeks before U.S. President George W. Bush's top officials in Iraq present a report that could have a major influence on future American policy in Iraq.And we can't be publicizing information that would lend support to the administration's position, can we..., well can we? Of course not.
