Saturday, October 07, 2006
Political gridlock hampering government action
Politics
Interview with Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi
Political paralysis and in-fighting is impeding the ability of Iraq's Shi'ite-led national unity government to tackle rampant violence and economic woes, an Iraqi Shi'ite leader said. Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi agreed with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's assertion on Thursday that factional wrangling had led to a dangerous stalemate inside the ruling coalition.
But Mahdi, one of two vice presidents and a senior Shi'ite Islamist, said U.S. involvement in Iraq was an important contributor to the problem. "Decision-making centres have proliferated -- the Multinational Force, the Americans ... and also the very numerous political groups that have taken part in the democratic experience," Mahdi told Reuters. "The most dangerous problem for Iraq today, for the economy, security and politics, is decision-making," he said in an interview on Thursday in his office in the fortified Green Zone government compound.
Since taking office in April, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, also from the Shi'ite Islamist bloc which dominates parliament, has found virtually every decision challenged, whether by minority Sunni Arabs or Kurds or Shi'ite rivals, Mahdi said. "The government's main mission is to overcome these obstacles. The parliament should help, the political blocs should also help in order to facilitate making security, political and economy decisions."
But Mahdi, one of two vice presidents and a senior Shi'ite Islamist, said U.S. involvement in Iraq was an important contributor to the problem. "Decision-making centres have proliferated -- the Multinational Force, the Americans ... and also the very numerous political groups that have taken part in the democratic experience," Mahdi told Reuters. "The most dangerous problem for Iraq today, for the economy, security and politics, is decision-making," he said in an interview on Thursday in his office in the fortified Green Zone government compound.
Since taking office in April, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, also from the Shi'ite Islamist bloc which dominates parliament, has found virtually every decision challenged, whether by minority Sunni Arabs or Kurds or Shi'ite rivals, Mahdi said. "The government's main mission is to overcome these obstacles. The parliament should help, the political blocs should also help in order to facilitate making security, political and economy decisions."
With the spread of sectarian violence many Sunni minority leaders have toned down calls for U.S. troops to leave, while some Shi'ites have become increasingly hostile to their presence and resent U.S. criticism of party militias many see as defending them against a return of Sunni-led oppression.
