Al-Jaafari Ally New Nominee for Iraq PM

[maddezmom]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shiite politicians agreed Friday to nominate Jawad al-Maliki as prime minister, replacing the incumbent in a bid to clear the way for a long-delayed new government, two Shiite officials said.

Al-Maliki is a top ally of outgoing Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, whose nomination had sparked sharp opposition from Sunni Arab and Kurdish leaders and caused a deadlock lasting months.

Leaders of the seven parties that make up the Shiite alliance agreed on al-Maliki's nomination "by consensus" in a meeting Friday evening, said Jalal Eddin al-Sagheer, a member of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the largest party in the alliance. A second Shiite politician confirmed the decision, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official announcement has not been named.

a tad more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060421/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_

[Clarkie1]

1. It's possible this might help break the stalemate in forming a government.

I'm pessimistic about the odds, but it's possible.

[Teaser]

2. The government is irrelevant to Iraq

The stalemate is itself irrelevant. The Sunni parties wanted Dawa out of the PMship so SCIRI might get it and remove SCIRI from control of the Interior ministry, which has been assassinating sunni citizens left and right. Clearly that won't happen now. The same dynamic that was occuring (increasing sectarian violence with semiofficial imprimatur) will continue.

The only reason the Sunni's might accept this is that they realize they have no choice. But regardless of what this clown show government does, the violence will continue.

[Clarkie1]

8. Like I said, I'm pessimistic this will help resolve anything. n/t

[TrogL]

3. Iraq's Shiite alliance agrees to nominate Jawad al-Maliki as PM

CNN News alert

I'll put the link up when it's available.

[Missy M]

5. and then who will oppose him so this goes on forever.

[TrogL]

7. CNN report

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/04/21/iraq.main/index.html

[TrogL]

4. Iraq's Shiite alliance agrees to nominate Jawad al-Maliki as PM

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[Roland99]

6. And how is this going to make a difference?

[enigma000]

9. Maybe they can form a government soon

The Iraqi parliament is meeting tomorrow, so they will vote on the candidates for the senior roles in government. Maybe they can start to deal with the problems in that country.

[Roland99]

10. I mean, what's the real difference between the two?

[enigma000]

11. I don't know - never heard of Jawad al-Maliki before n/t

[Roland99]

12. He's been active in attempts to form a govt & is part of al-Sadr's Da'awa

party...a rival of SCIRI.

[maddezmom]

13. I'm not sure there is one

I'm confused by this as well. Just another puppet of sorts. :shrug:

[Roland99]

14. I'm thinking more along the lines of another person out for vengeance

for years of oppression by the Sunnis and the Ba'ath Party.

[Kagemusha]

15. He had to hide his ass in Syria for many years so, I agree.

Juan Cole doesn't seem all that enthused either because he doesn't see what this changes. At least this wasn't 'the Iran candidate', but that's small consolation.

[Patsy Stone]

16. AP: Shiite Alliance Agrees on Nominee for PM

Apr 21, 6:08 PM EDT

By LEE KEATH
Associated Press Writer

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ?SITE=TXABI&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- The Shiite alliance nominated a tough-talking Shiite politician, Jawad al-Maliki, as prime minister Friday in a move that breaks the long impasse over forming a new government aimed at pulling Iraq out of its sectarian strife.

Al-Maliki replaces outgoing Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, whose attempt to stay for a second term had raised sharp opposition from Sunni Arab and Kurdish leaders and caused a deadlock that lasted months as the country's security crisis worsened in the wake of last December's election.

Sunni and Kurdish politicians signaled they would accept al-Maliki - a close ally of al-Jaafari in the Shiite Dawa Party - clearing the way for parliament on Saturday to elect top leadership positions, including the president, and launch the process of putting together a government.

U.S. and Iraqi officials are hoping that a national unity government representing Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds will be able to quell both the Sunni-led insurgency and bloody Shiite-Sunni violence that has raged during the political uncertainty. If it succeeds, it could enable the U.S. to begin bringing home its 133,000 troops.

[VegasWolf]

17. Meet the new boss, the same as the old boss. nt

[leftchick]

18. Looks like the same old. Juan Cole's take....

Here are some documents from the Open Source Center of the USG on al-Maliki, beginning in 2002. Note that in 2004 he was a major spokesman for Islamic law being implemented in Iraq and expressed reservations about the Interim Constitution on those grounds. Likewise, he is obviously fairly anti-Israeli, wondering if Israeli troops were operating in Iraq disguised as US soldiers, and worried that Israelis might be able to own property in Iraq.

He is also a hardliner on debaathification and I don't think the Sunni Arabs are going to like him better than Jaafari.

Maliki played a major role in mediating between the US and Muqtada al-Sadr during the fighting of spring, 2004 (which killed Cindy Sheehan's son among many others).

The item dated December 17, 2002 is particularly ironic, since al-Maliki was warning that US policies might produce a civil war after the overthrow of the Baath government. And, he said, ruling an Iraq full of widows, orphans and heavy debt would be no fun. He might get to try.


http://www.juancole.com/

the Shiia want the USA O U T! This will never be resolved. Bring The Troops HOME!