Washington said it would no longer back incumbent Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki unless he breaks ties with Moqtada Sadr, a source said.
Maliki moved close to the 163-seat majority needed to form a government in
Iraq after lawmakers loyal to Sadr, an anti-American cleric, their support
behind the incumbent. . . .
Iraqi has gone 222 days since March 7 elections gave the secular Iraqiya
slate a two-seat win in parliamentary elections, a world record in being
unable to form a government after a vote.
FULL TEXT
Warren P. Strobel, "State Dept. Planning To
Field A Small Army In Iraq," McClatchy Newspapers, July 22, 2010
Timothy William and Duraid Adnan, "Sunnis in Iraq Allied With U.S. Rejoin Rebels,"
nytimes.com, October 16, 2010
[The Guardian can reveal that the Islamic republic was instrumental in
forming an alliance between Iraq's Nouri al-Maliki, who is vying for a
second term as prime minister, and the country's powerful radical Shia
cleric leader, Moqtada al-Sadr.
The deal - which involved Syria, Lebanon's Hezbollah and the highest
authorities in Shia Islam - positions Maliki as a frontrunner to return as
leader despite a seven-month stalemate between Iraq's feuding political
blocs.--Martin Chulov, "Iran brokers behind-the-scenes deal for pro-Tehran
government in Iraq," Guardian, October 17, 2010]
Jon Basil Utley, "Iraq's
Dysfunctional Democracy: It was doomed from the start by a fatal
constitutional flaw: proportional representation," amconmag.com,
November 9, 2010
[The United States is facing a decisive political defeat in Iraq over the
formation of a new government, as its influence in the country sinks lower
than at any time since the invasion of 2003.--Patrick Cockburn, "Sun sets
on US influence in Iraq as deal on new government looms,"
Independent, November 11, 2010]
Patrick Cockburn, "Maliki to stay PM but leaders
cut his powers," Independent, November 12, 2010
"Nouri al-Maliki sworn in for second term: Iraq names cabinet
after nine-month power struggle, with Maliki retaining his role as
PM," Guardian, December 22, 2010
Wikileaks: Iraq War Logs
