[QUOTE=CNN]WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers divided over whether to keep U.S. troops in Iraq are finding common ground on at least one topic: They are furious that Iraqi politicians are considering a lengthy break this summer.
"If they go off on vacation for two months while our troops fight -- that would be the outrage of outrages," said Rep. Chris Shays, R-Connecticut.
The Iraq parliament's recess, starting this July, would likely come without Baghdad politicians reaching agreements considered key to easing sectarian tensions. Examples include regulating distribution of the country's oil wealth and reversing measures that have excluded many Sunnis from jobs and government positions because of Baath party membership.
Talk of the adjournment comes amid a heated debate in Congress on the pullout of U.S. troops in Iraq....
Numerous possible compromises are being floated on Capitol Hill, all involving some combination of benchmarks. The key impasse, however, is whether to require redeployments of U.S. troops if the benchmarks are not met.
Democrats contend that initiating troop withdrawals will pressure Iraqis into making the necessary political compromises. Republicans say the Iraqis could still refuse to work together and the consequence would be a blood bath.
The only area of agreement between the two sides is that the Iraqis are testing their patience.
"That is not acceptable," Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia, said of a two-month recess. "An action of that consequence would send a very bad signal to the world that they don't have the resolve that matches the resolve of the brave troops that are fighting in the battle today."
Added Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska: "I certainly hope they're not going to take any sort of recess when the question is whether they're going to make any progress."
On Monday -- the same day Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Missouri, issued a statement urging the Iraqi politicians to reconsider their summer break -- the Iraqi parliament called for a ban on U.S. troops near a holy Shiite Muslim shrine. Protests were led by the radical anti-U.S. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc after U.S. and Iraqi troops conducted a raid near the shrine.[/QUOTE]
Well it's a small step but at least they agree on something.
