US plan angering new Iraq parties

The United States is scrambling this week to defend its controversial plan to form a sovereign Iraqi government through regional caucuses, rather than direct elections. Iraq's most influential religious leader wants a ballot. But US officials, who are expected to appeal to the United Nations tomorrow for support, say there is too little time to conduct a fair election and still meet a June 30 deadline to transfer power. So they have opted for a plan that requires US officials to go through a laborious, hands-on process of meeting with Iraqis, town by town, to determine which groups should play a role in the caucuses.

Working out how much influence to give Iraq's new parties and how much to reserve for the tribal sheiks is one of countless problems that US authorities must resolve in the complex caucus system. And whatever option they choose, they face accusations of manipulating the outcome.