The Arab Reaction.

Commenting on the Senate resolution, Kuwaiti Emir Shaikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Oct. 4 told al-Arabiya TV: "We will not accept the partition of Iraq; we consider this to be dangerous to us. It will be dangerous for the whole region. We are against this division and I think that even the Iraqis will not accept this".

Shaikh Sabah called on the US to keep its troops in Iraq until stability was seen on the ground, stating: "I say it frankly, I would like the US to withdraw its troops from tomorrow, but do you think if they pull out there will be stability in Iraq? I think not. We will hold the US responsible for the fighting in Iraq. Therefore, I wish they will not leave before they maintain a strong army in Iraq which can protect Iraq and its people".

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, a Kurd from Barzani's KDP, on Oct. 1 said the Senate resolution was well-meaning but failed to recognise the ethnic complexity of Iraqi cities and regions".

The Cairo-based Arab League, a toothless organisation, has criticised the resolution and described the idea as "hostile to Arab interests". But Saudi Arabia and most other Arab states have so far been silent about this issue.