Iraq’s Sadr: No Right for Maliki to Lead After Plot Claims

Accuses Maliki of trying to sew chaos

Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr accused Nouri al-Maliki of making up a coup plot that’s been circulating, saying it proves Maliki can no longer participate in politics.

The supposed plot accuses Britain of wanting to use Sadr to sideline Iraq’s Shi’ites, and then have him eliminated so the Sunnis can take back over.

These are broad claims, but within Iraq any conspiracy that ends with the Sunni minority retaking power is treated at least as plausible.

The plot was revealed in audio recordings, putatively by Maliki. Maliki denies that the recordings are him, and says they are a separate plot to sew chaos.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.