Friday, November 12, 2010

Routine (updated 11/14)



Iraq... factions struggling over the past eight months to reconcile their contradictory aims so as to be able to form a government... Unable to overcome their differences...

And then, the U.S. intervenes... Mirabile dictu! Agreement ensues and a government is formed. So how did the competing interests of Nuri al-Maliki and Iyad Allawi get reconciled? When parliament met Maliki was nominated as Prime Minister (after Usama al-Nujayfi and Jalal Talabani were elected as Speaker and Iraqi President respectively). Allawi went along as he was to be placated by heading up the to-be-formed National Council for Strategic Policies which was to have an important role in checking the power of the Prime Minister. This setup was promoted by the U.S. to get Allawi into the government.

However, while this may have been "agreed" to, the actual details have not been hammered out and nailed down! So, this really has just kicked the can down the road, as both sides view what will happen next quite differently!

Iyad Allawi, welcome to "Wonderland."


Iraq: Allawi Joined Government after Obama Telephone Call
Nujayfi, Talabani and Maliki – Plus Lots of Hot Air
Iraqi political blocs end eight-month political deadlock
Iraqi parliament convenes in 1st steps to new govt
Iraqis greet new government with feelings of relief, betrayal
Barack Obama urges Ayad Allawi to join coalition Iraq government
Political Theater At The Iraqi Parliament

Update - 11/14/2010:

Oops, just two days and Allawi is out... "I took the guarantees of the U.S. and other powers that there would be a power-sharing agreement and the real process of reconciliation," Allawi said.

Allawi: 'Power-sharing is dead now'
Iyad Allaoui enterre l'accord de partage du pouvoir en Irak
More On The Iraqi National Movement’s Walkout and Future Participation In Government

No comments:

Post a Comment