Sunni leaders support newly designated Iraqi prime minister

The withdrawal of Nuri al-Maliki’s bid to lead the new government of Iraq opens the way for a national coalition that includes all communities can cope and the Islamic State (EI). The spiritual leader of the Shia Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, on Friday reiterated its support for the designated Prime Minister Haider al Abadi, and stressed the opportunity to resolve the political and security crisis threatening the country. Also several notable Sunnis were willing to collaborate with conditions. However, the sectarian divide is so deep that only a true sharing of power has any chance of saving it.

In the weekly Friday sermon, Sistani, through a spokesman, urged all the political blocs of the Iraqi parliament to be “responsible” and cooperate with Al Abadi. His words came just hours after Al Maliki announced in a televised message ending the legal challenge was raising against the appointment of Al Abadi as his replacement. Although it belongs, like him, the Dawa party, the outgoing prime minister considered it his responsibility to him to form a government, as leader of the most voted in the April elections list.

However, the views have changed. A daring raid of Islamic State in June allowed the jihadis take control of Mosul, Iraq’s third largest city, and elsewhere in the north, beyond the Ramadi and Fallujah insurgents (missed in January). Such operation was only possible by support from the Sunni population (and the shameful flight of the Iraqi Army).

Many, even among his former allies blame Al Maliki that disaffection. The man who in 2006 reached consensus on Iran and the United States to rule Iraq has irritated since his reelection in 2010 to the Sunni Arab minority, who felt marginalized and unfairly represented in power by the actions of extremists.

His efforts to cling to power has only confirmed the suspicions and increased pressures. USA made it clear from the beginning of the militants offensive that military aid was subject to relay Al Maliki. Inside Iraq, many politicians, even of his own party, have made him the expediency of ceding control. Even Iran, initially suspicious of the intentions of Washington, has helped persuade his ally, a new example of common interests with his American enemy. According to The New York Times, Tehran sent Al Maliki ” almost daily to convince you that I must stop errands honorably.”

But if the message Sistani expected (and in July he had written asking Al Maliki withdrawal), more promisingly, clerics and Sunni tribal leaders have expressed their willingness to participate in a new government if certain conditions are met. According to Reuters said a spokesman for the group, Mohammed Taha to Hamdun, representatives of Al Anbar and other Sunni-majority provinces have sent a list of demands to Al Abadi. Including military operations in their areas to speak, a complicated issue are suspended when the militans have returned to the attack since early August.

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Posted by Maleeha Tareen on Aug 17 2014. Filed under Middle East. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.