Iraq press blasts government for ignoring basic needs:

Newspapers say upgrading basic services is more important than drafting constitution.
08/16/05 "MEOL"

-- -- BAGHDAD - Iraq's newspapers warned Tuesday of the risk of the total collapse of basic services like electricity and water, saying upgrading them was more important than drafting the constitution."

The petrol crisis stole the spotlight from the constitution crisis," said the editorial in the leading independent daily Azaman.

Iraq missed the midnight Monday deadline for presenting a draft constitution to parliament despite marathon talks, but MPs have granted a one-week extension to draw up the charter by August 22.

Although the missed deadline was on the front pages of most newspapers, editorials hammered the fledgling administration for ignoring basic amenities in the war-torn country, where power cuts and water shortages are recurring problems.

"Why talk about progress in the political process when the quality of life is deteriorating at all levels," said Al-Mashriq, a daily close to the Kurdish community."

Politics was invented to improve life, not to make it worse, but in Iraq this truth has been altered.

"But Al-Fourat backed the constitution process, saying Iraq's unity was crucial.

"The biggest fear of Iraq nowdays is to lose its unity. Even the degradation of services or their total failure has become secondary when it comes to unity."

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