Their house is burning down around them, the wolf is at the door, the sky is falling, and oh, by the way, bloodthirsty terrorists are headed for Baghdad. Do you think that matters to the elected representatives of Iraq's parliament? Don't bet on it. LA Times: Hopes that Iraqi lawmakers could swiftly agree on new political leadership and halt a slide back into civil war were set back Tuesday when the first parliamentary session ended in an impasse after less than two hours. Sunni Muslim and Kurdish lawmakers walked out of the chaotic session, the first since April elections, at which a parliamentary speaker was due to be nominated. That is considered the first step in selecting a new government, including a prime minister. Deprived of a quorum, acting speaker Mahdi Hafidh adjourned parliament for at least a week. Sunni leaders said before the session that they wanted to know whom the largest bloc, the Shiites, planned to nominate for prime minister. After...(Read Full Post)