Sunnis have been frustrated in their attempts to reduce the influence of Shiite militias, win guarantees that Iraq won't be partitioned and reverse laws that discriminate against former members of Hussein's Sunni-dominated Baath Party.
They've also demanded a release of the many Sunnis held in prisons on vague charges of colluding with the insurgency. They angrily accuse the government of using the legal and security apparatus for sectarian ends.
The Sunni bloc "has never done anything good for us," said Sheik Mehdi Sumaidaie, a prominent Sunni cleric who does not favor pulling out of the government but says he is under increasing pressure from his followers to adopt more radical anti-government views.
"We are receiving a big pressure from our followers, who are calling and contacting us every day to withdraw from the process," said Nourdin Hiyali, a Sunni lawmaker. "But the leaders have a different way of thinking, as this will drive the country into very bad civil war."
It was not clear whether the warrant would result in an arrest. In 2004, an Iraqi judge issued an arrest warrant against Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr in connection with a killing the year before at a mosque in Najaf. No arrest was made. A warrant the same year against Iraqi National Congress leader Ahmad Chalabi, on counterfeiting charges, also did not result in an arrest. Charges were dropped, and Chalabi went on to hold key posts in the Iraqi government, including deputy prime minister.
If Sunni political parties abandoned the government, it could unravel months of effort by U.S. diplomats and push ordinary Sunnis closer to the camp of the insurgent groups, members of parliament warn.
"When the people we represent see us leaving the political process, they will join the resistance," said Sheik Harith Obeidi, a Sunni lawmaker. "And this will be a disaster for Iraq."
Iyad Samarai, the No. 2 person in the main Sunni political party, said no decisions had been made about bolting. "Some of the people say, 'Well, we don't have anything to lose and we don't want to stay with the government,' " he said. "Others say, 'We should try to improve the situation.' Both views exist."
Another member of the 44-seat Iraqi Accordance Front, the main Sunni bloc, who requested anonymity, said: "Some of the members of the Accordance Front are very enthusiastic about leaving the political process. Even the leadership of the Accordance Front is talking about this option."
Maliki will convene the Cabinet next week to attempt to resolve the deepening political divisions and the threatened walkout, a member of his coalition said Thursday.
"We need more discussions between Shias and Sunnis, Sunnis and Kurds," said Ridha Jawad Taqi, head of the main Shiite party's political section. "Because if the ship sinks, we all sink."
louise.roug@latimes.com
daragahi@latimes.com
Times staff writers Suhail Ahmad and Saif Rasheed contributed to this report.
