Yet there has also been significant progress toward Sunni participation in the political process.

Without Sunni participation, the election results would be worse than useless.

To negotiate a new constitution without Sunni participation would be to stage "Hamlet" without the prince.

They said the Americans were pressing Iraqi leaders not to go forward with political negotiations without Sunni participation.

Iraqi and American officials were hoping that greater Sunni participation would push overall turnout past the 58 percent mark reached in the January elections.

The issue of Sunni participation did not have to become this dicey.

American officials have expressed hope that Sunni participation in the political process will drain support for the insurgency, which is led mainly by militant Sunnis.

They also appeared to have backed away from previous demands, including that the American military leave Iraq as a condition for Sunni participation in any elections.

With reduced Sunni participation, they are likely to do even better.

"The next election assumes Sunni participation, and you will see an entirely different dynamic then."