IRAQ - Bush's Domestic Problems & The US Clock Vs Iraqi Clock.

Republican President Bush now is in an unenviable spot as the Iraq conflict is heating up between his administration and the two houses of Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate. The conflict has gone beyond the war of words and the exchange of accusations has exceeded the Democratic need to adopt an opposition stance.

This was clear recently when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Syria, which Washington calls a rogue state and a member of the "axis of evil". But Pelosi's visit to Syria came in line with the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group (ISG) led by James Baker, former US Secretary of State for the Republicans, and former Senator Lee Hamilton for the Democrats.

The top US commander in Iraq, Lt Gen David Petraeus, recently made it clear as he spoke frankly about the deteriorating situation in Iraq. He said: "The Washington clock is moving more rapidly than the Baghdad clock. So we're obviously trying to speed up the Baghdad clock a bit and to produce some progress on the ground that can, perhaps, put a little more time on the Washington clock".

Liberal experts argue there is no choice for Iraqis other than getting rid of the quota system, which is based on ethnic and sectarian grounds. They must reunite under the umbrella of Iraq, and put their sectarian and ethnic differences aside. Iraqis should refuse all foreign or regional interferences in their affairs. The experts say the key to success is by preparing the ground for a parliament on a national, rather than a sectarian basis.