BAGHDAD, Iraq — Several key issues remained unresolved on the eve of a deadline for a draft of Iraq's new constitution, politicians involved in the discussion said yesterday, increasing the prospect that the document will not be completed on time.

Also, five U.S. soldiers were killed by roadside bombs over the weekend and another died in a shooting, the U.S. military announced. At least 11 Iraqis were killed yesterday in attacks across the country, police said. As of yesterday, at least 1,853 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Leaders of the country's dominant Shiite political party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, skipped a late-night meeting with Kurdish officials at the headquarters of Shiite Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, rendering the meeting little more than an informal get-together, according to Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish member of the committee charged with writing the constitution. They must finish their work today by 7 a.m. Pacific time.

"Because they were not there it was basically just a quick chat. By what I saw today, I don't think this can be achieved tomorrow," Othman said last night.

Kurds and Shiites, who form a coalition that controls the government, have been unable to reach agreement on the role of Islam in determining law, the distribution of the country's oil wealth and other issues.

Kurds and Shiites were hoping to reach a consensus on such issues before meeting with leaders from the Sunni Arab minority, long considered the most likely holdouts in the process, and hammer out a final deal by today.

But the gatherings yesterday revealed that divisions remain between the governing coalition and the Sunnis, between the Shiites and the Kurds, and within the Shiite bloc.

What's next


Drafting a constitution: Parliament meets today at 7 a.m. Pacific time to see if its committee has finished the draft constitution by the deadline. The deadline for requesting an extension passed on Aug. 1. Parliament can either sign off on the draft, amend the interim constitution to set a new deadline to finish it or be dissolved.

Constitutional referendum: If Parliament approves the draft, Iraqis must vote on the proposed constitution in a referendum by Oct. 15. The draft constitution will be ratified if approved by a majority of the voters, and if it is not rejected by two-thirds of the voters in three or more provinces.

Next elections: Under current deadlines, if the constitution is approved, elections for a permanent government will be held by Dec. 15, and the new parliament and government must assume office by Dec. 31. If voters reject the constitution, the National Assembly will be dissolved and a new transitional assembly and government will be elected in December to work on a new constitution.

The Associated Press

The unexplained absence last night of the Supreme Council leader, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, came three days after his dramatic call for the formation of a Shiite state in southern and central Iraq, a move widely considered disruptive to forging an agreement. The Shiite-led al-Jaafari government, which is under heavy U.S. pressure to meet today's deadline, quickly denounced al-Hakim's plea.

The question of federalism, the extent and timing of autonomy granted to regional states, presents the greatest remaining barrier to a final agreement, several politicians said.

U.S. and Iraqi officials have long been concerned that the alienation of the Sunnis could strengthen the country's violent insurgency, which holds sway in Sunni regions.

Underscoring that threat yesterday, police in Awarijno, south of Baghdad, unearthed the bodies of at least 30 police and government workers, many of whom had been bludgeoned beyond recognition.

Three foreign fighters arrested earlier in the day led police to the grave, according to Babil province's police chief, Qais Hamza.

Meanwhile, Kurds and Shiites, whose interests are aligned on many issues, remained divided over the role of Islam in determining Iraqi law. Shiite leaders said they believed they were close to persuading more secular Kurds to accept Islam as "the main source" of the constitution along with a requirement that no laws be passed that contradict sharia, or Islamic law.

That position was loudly opposed yesterday by a few dozen female protesters concerned that deference to Islamic law would leave them vulnerable, particularly in the area of family law, where most interpretations of Islam accord many advantages to men.

As U.S. officials pressed Iraqis to finish work on a new constitution, a leading Democratic legislator said the Bush administration is downgrading expectations for a flourishing Middle East democracy — signaling a possible exit strategy.

"They have squandered about every opportunity to get it right," said Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware. "The bottom line is they are significantly lowering expectations."

Biden and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said it's premature for the United States to begin plans for withdrawing troops.

"The day that I can land at the airport in Baghdad and ride in an unarmed car down the highway to the Green Zone is the day that I'll start considering withdrawals from Iraq," said McCain, referring to the heavily fortified area where U.S. and Iraqi government headquarters are located.

"We not only don't need to withdraw, we need more troops there," he said on Fox News Sunday.

Remarks from Biden and McCain were reported by The Associated Press