Juan Cole confirms: Shiites take absolute majority in Parliament.

[robertpaulsen]

Monday, February 14, 2005
Shiites Take Absolute Majority in Parliament
Iran Scores Victory in the Iraqi Elections

Lebanese Broadcasting Co.'s satellite television news is reporting that the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), comprising Shiite religious parties, has won an absolute majority (141 seats) after adjustments were made in accordance with electoral procedure. Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the list leader, expressed his pleasure at this 51 percent outcome for his coalition. The UIA still needs a 2/3s majority, and therefore a coalition partner or partners, to form a government (which involves electing a president and two vice-presidents, who will appoint a prime minister). But it can now win votes on procedure and legislation without needing any other partner.

Robin Wright of the Washington Post points out that an electoral victory of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq and the Dawa Party, both of them close to Tehran, is not what Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and the Neoconservatives had been going for with this Iraq adventure. The United Iraqi Alliance is led by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, a Shiite cleric who lived over 2 decades in exile in Iran. I point out that the likely coalition partner of the United Iraqi Alliance is the Kurdistan Alliance, led by Jalal Talabani, who is himself very close to Tehran. So there are likely to be warm Baghdad-Tehran relations.

Likewise, it is worth pointing out that the new Shiite government in Baghdad will support the Lebanese Shiites, including Hezbollah.

One of the Neoconservatives' goals had been the installation of a pro-Israel government in Baghdad. But at Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution rallies and Friday prayers services, crowds have been known to chant "Death to Israel!"

http://www.juancole.com/2005/02/shiites-take-absolute-majority-in.html

Do you see anyone waving a purple finger in Congress now?

[Pirate Smile]

1. Just this morning, I saw reports saying that at least religious Shiite's

didn't get over 50%. The fact that the religious Shiite party was under 50% made things much better for us.

Hmmm, well, never mind.

[medeak]

2. I heard same thing

under 50%

[LizW]

4. Yeah, CNN kept saying

that the Shiites would have to form coalitions with other parties to get what they wanted done. It sounded bogus to me.

[RobertSeattle]

3. All right troops, back to Kuwait, we are going to re-invade!

Do Over!

[BrotherBuzz]

5. No do-overs....

But it looks like BushCo is writing chapter two as we speak....

US fights back against 'rule by clerics'

By Syed Saleem Shahzad

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GB15Ak02.html

<snip>

To head off this threat of a Shi'ite clergy-driven religious movement, the US has, according to Asia Times Online investigations, resolved to arm small militias backed by US troops and entrenched in the population to "nip the evil in the bud".

Asia Times Online has learned that in a highly clandestine operation, the US has procured Pakistan-manufactured weapons, including rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, ammunition, rockets and other light weaponry. Consignments have been loaded in bulk onto US military cargo aircraft at Chaklala airbase in the past few weeks. The aircraft arrived from and departed for Iraq.

The US-armed and supported militias in the south will comprise former members of the Ba'ath Party, which has already split into three factions, only one of which is pro-Saddam Hussein. They would be expected to receive assistance from pro-US interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqi National Accord.

<more>