Iraq Violence, Political Deadlock Continue

An Iraqi policeman looks at the wreckage left by a car bomb explosion Wednesday April 12, 2006 in Khalis, 80 kms (50 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq. Car and roadside bombings killed at least 12 people, including two U.S. soldiers, and six civilians were gunned down in Baghdad, as the acting parliament speaker said he will convene the Iraqi legislature next week to push forward the formation of a new government, stalled over the issue of who will serve as prime minister.(AP Photo/Mohammed Hameed (Mohammed Hameed - AP)

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Four more American soldiers were killed in Iraq, the U.S. military said as the U.S. death toll for the month surpassed the total for all of March. More than 40 Iraqis also died, including at least 22 in a car bombing near a Shiite mosque northeast of Baghdad.

Meanwhile Wednesday, key Shiite politicians cast doubt on a plan to convene parliament next week, saying they still have not decided whether to replace their candidate for prime minister to break a deadlock over forming a new government.

Parliament Speaker Adnan Pachachi, a Sunni Arab, said at a nationally televised press conference that he would call parliament into session Monday to push forward efforts to form a new government, which have been snarled for weeks over who will serve as prime minister.

"It is my duty to the Iraqi people in order to preserve the credibility of the democratic process," Pachachi said.

Iraqi voters chose the 275-member assembly Dec. 15, but the legislature met briefly only once last month because the country's ethnically and religiously based parties have not agreed on a new government of national unity.

Talks stalled after Sunnis and Kurds refused to accept the Shiite nominee, Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, to head the new government, which must be approved by parliament.

The Shiite alliance of seven parties has the biggest bloc of members in the assembly, but needs support from other factions to install a government.

Shiite officials have been discussing what to do for weeks but cannot decide.

Pachachi said Shiite politicians told him they hoped to have the break the deadlock in time for Monday's session.

"There are indications that cause us to be optimistic that an agreement will be reached on all the sticking points regarding forming a national unity government," the former foreign minister said.

But key Shiite leaders said a session was unlikely until they decided who gets top posts, including prime minister.

"Things don't look good right now," said Ridha Jawad Taqi, a leading figure in the biggest Shiite party. "We cannot go to parliament if there's no agreement" on key posts, including the presidency.