Footnote to the Update

What did I just say about US pressure? From the New York Times for Friday:

Talks over the Iraqi constitution reached a breaking point on Thursday, with a parliamentary session to present the document being canceled and President Bush personally calling one of the country's most powerful Shiite leaders in an effort to broker a last-minute deal. ...

The concern that a deal on the constitution was falling apart appeared to have to prompted Mr. Bush to call [Abdul Aziz] Hakim[, a cleric and leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq,] to urge a compromise. One Iraqi official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said the Americans, who have already expressed their frustration with the Sunnis, have recently become irritated with what they regard as the stubbornness of the Shiites as well.

"The Americans are very angry that the Shia are not agreeing on this," the Iraqi official said. "They really want them to make these concessions to the Sunnis to keep them on board."

Put more bluntly, agree to anything - just agree, whatever it is. We need an agreement, we don't care what's in it, just give us some talking points.

The same story also provides another hint that things are not going well:

[T]here are widespread doubts about the sincerity of the Sunni negotiators. Most of the 15 members of the Sunni negotiating committee were members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party, and there is a growing sense among Shiite leaders that their primary goal is to block any agreement at all. ...

Mr. Hakim and many of the senior members of his group, the Supreme Council, lived for many years in Iran and even fought on the Iranian side during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980's. The Supreme Council is suspected by American officials of receiving large amounts of assistance from the Iranian government.

When rumors about hidden motives and questionable loyalties start making the rounds, you can be sure that things are on the skids.