With Iraq in the early stages of another bloody sectarian war, the Sunni rebels and the Shi’ite clergy are at odds about almost everything. There is common ground on the issue of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, however, he has to go.
The US made clear their opposition to Maliki earlier this week, and Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the religious leader for Iraq’s Shi’ite majority, seems to concur, with his statement during Friday prayers calling for Maliki’s replacement with a new “effective” government that includes Sunni Arabs and Kurds.
The Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI), one of the Sunni rebel factions fighting alongside ISIS, is also in agreement on that issue, warning his faction will attack Baghdad if Maliki isn’t replaced, and suggesting there was room for a settlement of the conflict along the lines of three autonomous regions so long as Maliki is gone.
Sunni factions in northern Baghdad are pretty concerned about the status quo as well, seeing the growing sectarian tension as putting them in considerable danger, since they are still outside of ISIS territory and a prime target for local Shi’ite militias.
Ultimately, the war seems to be heading toward furthering the “sectarian cleansing” of regions that began during the US occupation, with the minority sect chased out of ISIS and the Iraqi government’s respective regions, though even within what remains of Shi’ite Iraq Maliki’s position is greatly weakened, and he seems likely to be ousted soon.
Who will replace Maliki is anyone’s guess, but the US is pushing hard for their old friend Ahmed Chalabi, who was a major architect of the 2003 US invasion and occupation. Reports have suggested that in addition to Chalabi, two members of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council are also getting some support for the new prime minister.
Oh, please. Enough with the drama. "who will replace Maliki is anyone's guess" stop feeding into the drama. There's enough puff out there already to filter through.
Sistani spoke out 4/14 before the elections too…and what came of that?
Maliki's replacement has been warming up for a while…….REMEMBER AHMED CHALABI??? He is one of the "top 3 contenders'" for the PM slot…..proving once again to never turn your back on those bloody Effing Neocons….that lying thug was their choice in 2003 and once again the United States govt takes their orders from dual loyalists which SATURATE our govt. Chalabi makes 'curveball' look downright innocent.
all those goofs want him out, a sure sign he is doing a good job
Best way to root out these blood soaked cutthroat Wahhabi freaks (if that was the intention) would be from where they came from, Saudi Arabia, but they enjoy, next to occupied Palestine and Zionism, "a special bond". and can get away almost anything, even 9/11. US (and israel) needs ISIS to keep Syrians bleeding but not to the extent that they pose a threat to the latter who also feeds them.
To further complicate things for the hapless Obama and his white masters, as soon as their intention on Maliki became clear, Mighty Vlad called Maliki and threw Russia´s weight behind him and the current government of Iraq. The US and israel pulling the strings from behind, might just have to change it´s stance on Syria and adjust things…
The US does not have a very good record of "selecting" rulers – at home or abroad. They should STFU and let the Iraqis pick their own leaders for a change.
No, no, not "Rulers" Puppet, rulers are strong individuals like, Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, and Assad.
They are a little late … if they'd done this last fall, they could have 'taken care of' Maliki on the 50th anniversary of the coup and execution of South Vietnam's Diem.
Chalabi was responsible for talking neocons into invading Iraq, not that they needed much persuading. For those who may have forgotten his record of duplicity, amorality, lies, and treachery, here's a brief article from shortly after his exit, in disgrace, from the scene: http://www.salon.com/2004/05/04/chalabi_4/ and a more recent article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barry-lando/ahmed-c…
But I guess if you need a guy who can be counted on to serve the interests of himself, the wealthy, oil companies, and Israel, Chalabi is your man.
The neocons serve the interests of Israel.
Ahmad Chalabi was a wanted man by Interpol for stealing money while living in Jordan, London and later Paris where he, among others, where contacted by those who supported the Bush Neo fascism regime and England double face Labour Party Tony Blair plans wanting to change the course of Iraqi social life. Removal of Saddam Hussein, Libyan leader kaddafi, Syrian government are demands set fourth by Saudis and Qatari tyrants regime, Bill Clinton, another double faced democrat started the new world order when he managed to the outcome of present day situation in Iraq and in Middle East.
Anything that has anything to do with progress or the rights of people in this world it has to be destroyed by either USG militarism regime or hand in hand with NATO, since 1990 the trend has changed, the Saudis and other gulf tyrants regimes, so as European far right regimes and monarchism are involved. Ahmad Chalabi is spendable as Maliki is, the real problems are USG and EU hegemony, yet people still fooled by these far right "democrats" and vote for them year after year.
Kind of reminds me of Vietnam when Diem "had to go". That didn't help or change anything. I keep seeing South Vietnam similarities. Maybe partitioning Iraq is the best long term answer. The Sunnis and Shiites just don't get along together and the Kurds don't want any part of either one of them. Iraq is an artificially created country, with no natural boundaries. There is no commonality or bond to hold the people together. The country was created by a back room deal by British and French imperialists duirng WW1 to carve up the old Ottoman empire. No thought was given to creating countries with borders based on ethnic groups, cultures, workable natural boundaries etc.
That's because the French and the British were still deluding themselves that their Empires were still alive and flourishing, which they weren't, of course. They saw whole regions (with resources the home countries did not have) dependent upon the Throne for years well into the future. Just as the US's attempt at Empire, though never achieved, is dying now.
The real kicker is the American people are not prepared for the failure of their Exceptionalism and the US becoming a second rate country. It is not going to be pretty.
And then what…! Maliki is no longer there but Saudis and UAE terrorist, mercenaries, jihadist, barbarians and savages are there and gaining by overrunning cities after cities in Syria and Iraq and they are not going anywhere. The idea dividing the unity between Iraq, Iran, Syria and Libya was presented by Barack Hussein Obama, either militarizing the entire Middle East or Islamization what is playing here, which in reality the Iraqi people now have to deal with what is forced on them.
Leave the people of Middle East alone USG and EU, you have done nothing of good for any nation in this world, while at it take your bulldogs with you.
I wonder if any of the candidates to be the next sock puppet are noticing that US backing for its puppets is temporary at best? And that usually the puppet winds up dead as a part of the pr show for the next puppet?
Shhhhhhhhh…
Chalabi ? ha ha x 1,000,000,000
Where and when the hell these barbarians savages, Saudis, Kuwaitis, Qatari Mercenaries, ISIS come from demanding for change, unless they have the support of USG and been hiding in turkey, trained by CIA while Turkish Erdogan government providing the logistical and equipments need to start advancing.