Monday, July 30, 2007
Petraeus and al-Maliki clash
Politics
(AP) -- A key aide says Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's relations with Gen. David Petraeus are so poor the Iraqi leader may ask Washington to withdraw the overall U.S. commander from his Baghdad post. Iraq's foreign minister calls the relationship "difficult." Petraeus, who says their ties are "very good," acknowledges expressing his "full range of emotions" at times with al-Maliki. U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, who meets with both at least weekly, concedes "sometimes there are sporty exchanges."
It seems less a clash of personality than of policy. The Shiite Muslim prime minister has reacted most sharply to the American general's tactic of enlisting Sunni militants, presumably including past killers of Iraqi Shiites, as allies in the fight against al-Qaida here. An associate said al-Maliki once, in discussion with President Bush, even threatened to counter this by arming Shiite militias.
A tangle of issues confronts them, none with easy solutions:
- Al-Maliki, a Shiite activist who spent the Saddam Hussein years in exile, hotly objects to the recent U.S. practice of recruiting tribal groups tied to the Sunni insurgency for the fight against the Sunni extremists of al-Qaida, deemed "Enemy No. 1" by the Americans. His loud complaints have won little but a U.S. pledge to let al-Maliki's security apparatus screen the recruits.
- Aides say the Iraqi leader also has spoken bitterly about delivery delays of promised U.S. weapons and equipment for his forces.
- Petraeus, meanwhile, must deal with an Iraqi military and police force, nominally under al-Maliki's control, that often acts out of sectarian, namely Shiite, interests, and not national Iraqi interests. He faces a significant challenge in persuading al-Maliki to shed his ties to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who runs the Mahdi Army militia.
- On the political front, Crocker is grappling with the prime minister's seeming foot-dragging or ineffectiveness in pushing through an oil-industry law and other legislation seen as critical benchmarks by the U.S. government. Reporting to Congress in September, Crocker may have to explain such Iraqi inaction while U.S. troops are fighting and dying to give al-Maliki political breathing space.
First word of strained relations began leaking out with consistency earlier this month. Sami al-Askari, a key aide to al-Maliki and a member of the prime minister's Dawa Party, said the policy of incorporating one-time Sunni insurgents into the security forces shows Petraeus has a "real bias and it bothers the Shiites," whose communities have been targeted by Sunnis in Iraq's sectarian conflict.
"It is possible that we may demand his removal," al-Askari said.
A lawmaker from the al-Sadr bloc, who wouldn't allow use of his name because of the political sensitivity of the matter, said al-Maliki once told Petraeus: "I can't deal with you anymore. I will ask for someone else to replace you." Such a request isn't likely to get much of a hearing in Washington, where the Bush administration presents Petraeus as one general who can improve the Iraq situation.
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told Newsweek magazine the Petraeus-al-Maliki relationship is "difficult." For one thing, the Americans retain control of the Iraqi military. "The prime minister cannot just pick up the phone and have Iraqi army units do what he says. Maliki needs more leverage," Zebari said.
The prime minister has complained to President Bush about the policy of arming Sunnis, said the Sadrist lawmaker. "He told Bush that if Petraeus continues doing that, he would arm Shiite militias. Bush told al-Maliki to calm down," according to this parliament member, who said he was told of the exchange by al-Maliki. In Washington, White House officials who have sat in on Bush's video conferences with al-Maliki denied that exchange took place.
It seems less a clash of personality than of policy. The Shiite Muslim prime minister has reacted most sharply to the American general's tactic of enlisting Sunni militants, presumably including past killers of Iraqi Shiites, as allies in the fight against al-Qaida here. An associate said al-Maliki once, in discussion with President Bush, even threatened to counter this by arming Shiite militias.
A tangle of issues confronts them, none with easy solutions:
- Al-Maliki, a Shiite activist who spent the Saddam Hussein years in exile, hotly objects to the recent U.S. practice of recruiting tribal groups tied to the Sunni insurgency for the fight against the Sunni extremists of al-Qaida, deemed "Enemy No. 1" by the Americans. His loud complaints have won little but a U.S. pledge to let al-Maliki's security apparatus screen the recruits.
- Aides say the Iraqi leader also has spoken bitterly about delivery delays of promised U.S. weapons and equipment for his forces.
- Petraeus, meanwhile, must deal with an Iraqi military and police force, nominally under al-Maliki's control, that often acts out of sectarian, namely Shiite, interests, and not national Iraqi interests. He faces a significant challenge in persuading al-Maliki to shed his ties to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who runs the Mahdi Army militia.
- On the political front, Crocker is grappling with the prime minister's seeming foot-dragging or ineffectiveness in pushing through an oil-industry law and other legislation seen as critical benchmarks by the U.S. government. Reporting to Congress in September, Crocker may have to explain such Iraqi inaction while U.S. troops are fighting and dying to give al-Maliki political breathing space.
First word of strained relations began leaking out with consistency earlier this month. Sami al-Askari, a key aide to al-Maliki and a member of the prime minister's Dawa Party, said the policy of incorporating one-time Sunni insurgents into the security forces shows Petraeus has a "real bias and it bothers the Shiites," whose communities have been targeted by Sunnis in Iraq's sectarian conflict.
"It is possible that we may demand his removal," al-Askari said.
A lawmaker from the al-Sadr bloc, who wouldn't allow use of his name because of the political sensitivity of the matter, said al-Maliki once told Petraeus: "I can't deal with you anymore. I will ask for someone else to replace you." Such a request isn't likely to get much of a hearing in Washington, where the Bush administration presents Petraeus as one general who can improve the Iraq situation.
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told Newsweek magazine the Petraeus-al-Maliki relationship is "difficult." For one thing, the Americans retain control of the Iraqi military. "The prime minister cannot just pick up the phone and have Iraqi army units do what he says. Maliki needs more leverage," Zebari said.
The prime minister has complained to President Bush about the policy of arming Sunnis, said the Sadrist lawmaker. "He told Bush that if Petraeus continues doing that, he would arm Shiite militias. Bush told al-Maliki to calm down," according to this parliament member, who said he was told of the exchange by al-Maliki. In Washington, White House officials who have sat in on Bush's video conferences with al-Maliki denied that exchange took place.
Labels: Al Qaeda, General David Petraeus, Hoshyar Zibari, Nouri Al-Maliki, Ryan Crocker, Sami al-Askari, Shiite militias, Sunni militants
Friday, July 13, 2007
Iraqi leaders insist progress is being made despite negative White House report
Politics
(AP) - Iraqi leaders insisted they were making military and political progress, defending their efforts after the Bush administration gave the Baghdad government a spotty report card on a series of benchmarks aimed at bringing stability to the war-torn nation. War critics in the U.S. Congress have seized on the assessment as proof that President Bush's strategy in Iraq is failing, and the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted Thursday to withdraw U.S. troops by spring 2008 despite a veto threat from Bush.
A top adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki rankled at the assessment, saying Bush supporters and opponents in Washington "will both blame Iraqis" for the shortcomings. Sami al-Askari said the government was serious in passing a series of political reforms aimed at bringing national unity and drawing greater Sunni Arab support for the political process. "From now until the end of the year, draft laws related to national reconciliation will be finished," al-Askari told U.S.-funded Alhurra television late Thursday.
But the reforms have been held up for months by political wrangling between Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish members of al-Maliki's coalition. Sunnis and Kurds have deep differences over a draft law to equitably share control of the oil industry and its profits, one of the centerpiece reforms, and no compromise is in sight. The even tougher benchmark of amending the constitution, which many Sunni Arabs see as the most important of the reforms, remains on the back burner, relegated to a parliament committee. Sunnis want to water down the constitution's provisions on federalism, but Kurds and Shiites want only limited changes.
At the same time, al-Maliki's administration has been severely weakened by a Sunni Arab boycott of his Cabinet and parliament over separate political disputes. Talks to overcome the walkout, and negotiations over forming a new, more streamlined Cabinet, have so far brought no results. President Jalal Talabani said there were "positive developments on the political level," particularly in the effort to reshape the Cabinet to establish "a front of moderate forces committed to the political process and democracy in Iraq."
He also said the military offensives being waged by U.S. troops in and around Baghdad were making progress. "A successful campaign is on to eliminate terrorists and so far large areas of Diyala and Anbar have been cleared," Talabani said Thursday evening, referring to provinces north and west of the capital. The U.S. offensives have brought a relative easing in attacks in the capital in recent weeks, though it remains far from calm, with occasional car bombs and police still reporting 20 to 30 bodies a day found dumped in the city, apparent victims of sectarian slayings.
A top adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki rankled at the assessment, saying Bush supporters and opponents in Washington "will both blame Iraqis" for the shortcomings. Sami al-Askari said the government was serious in passing a series of political reforms aimed at bringing national unity and drawing greater Sunni Arab support for the political process. "From now until the end of the year, draft laws related to national reconciliation will be finished," al-Askari told U.S.-funded Alhurra television late Thursday.
But the reforms have been held up for months by political wrangling between Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish members of al-Maliki's coalition. Sunnis and Kurds have deep differences over a draft law to equitably share control of the oil industry and its profits, one of the centerpiece reforms, and no compromise is in sight. The even tougher benchmark of amending the constitution, which many Sunni Arabs see as the most important of the reforms, remains on the back burner, relegated to a parliament committee. Sunnis want to water down the constitution's provisions on federalism, but Kurds and Shiites want only limited changes.
At the same time, al-Maliki's administration has been severely weakened by a Sunni Arab boycott of his Cabinet and parliament over separate political disputes. Talks to overcome the walkout, and negotiations over forming a new, more streamlined Cabinet, have so far brought no results. President Jalal Talabani said there were "positive developments on the political level," particularly in the effort to reshape the Cabinet to establish "a front of moderate forces committed to the political process and democracy in Iraq."
He also said the military offensives being waged by U.S. troops in and around Baghdad were making progress. "A successful campaign is on to eliminate terrorists and so far large areas of Diyala and Anbar have been cleared," Talabani said Thursday evening, referring to provinces north and west of the capital. The U.S. offensives have brought a relative easing in attacks in the capital in recent weeks, though it remains far from calm, with occasional car bombs and police still reporting 20 to 30 bodies a day found dumped in the city, apparent victims of sectarian slayings.
Labels: benchmarks, Jalal Talabani, Sami al-Askari, White House report
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Cabinet reshuffle to improve performance
Politics
(Reuters) - Iraq's Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will shrink his cabinet to improve government performance amid frustration at its failure to deliver on security and political reform, a top aide said on Wednesday. "It has been agreed to have a total cabinet reshuffle by reducing the number of ministries from 36, to 20 or 22 ministries," Sami al-Askari, a Shi'ite member of parliament and senior Maliki adviser, said on state Iraqiya television.
He gave no indication of when the changes would be made or if the various political blocs in government had agreed. Maliki has said for months he wanted a reshuffle to cull inefficient ministers and bring in more technocrats. On Tuesday, he acknowledged the government's performance had been poor.
Repeating his intention to make cabinet changes, Maliki said the decision for a reshuffle "came as a response to the weakness of the performance of this government, which is based on sectarian lines". "The prime minister must have the complete right to select his ministries. At that point, the prime minister can be held accountable for his choices," Maliki said.
Cabinet posts reflect a quota system largely based on seats held in parliament by the Shi'ite majority, minority Sunni Arabs and Kurds. This has made many ministers more loyal to their political and sectarian blocs than Maliki.
Six ministers from the main Sunni bloc, the Accordance Front, have been boycotting cabinet since last week in anger over legal moves against one of their colleagues. Six others from a Shi'ite bloc loyal of fiery anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr suspended their membership last month in protest at the bombing of a revered Shi'ite shrine in the city of Samarra, north of Baghdad.
He gave no indication of when the changes would be made or if the various political blocs in government had agreed. Maliki has said for months he wanted a reshuffle to cull inefficient ministers and bring in more technocrats. On Tuesday, he acknowledged the government's performance had been poor.
Repeating his intention to make cabinet changes, Maliki said the decision for a reshuffle "came as a response to the weakness of the performance of this government, which is based on sectarian lines". "The prime minister must have the complete right to select his ministries. At that point, the prime minister can be held accountable for his choices," Maliki said.
Cabinet posts reflect a quota system largely based on seats held in parliament by the Shi'ite majority, minority Sunni Arabs and Kurds. This has made many ministers more loyal to their political and sectarian blocs than Maliki.
Six ministers from the main Sunni bloc, the Accordance Front, have been boycotting cabinet since last week in anger over legal moves against one of their colleagues. Six others from a Shi'ite bloc loyal of fiery anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr suspended their membership last month in protest at the bombing of a revered Shi'ite shrine in the city of Samarra, north of Baghdad.
Labels: cabinet, Nouri Al-Maliki, Sami al-Askari
Monday, June 11, 2007
Al-Maliki urges military to thwart possible coup
Politics
(Azzaman) - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has asked his military commanders to confront any attempt to topple him as political factions have joined efforts to unseat him. Maliki accused his political opponents of seeking help from abroad to stage what he described as ‘a coup’ against his government.
Several political parties with representatives in the parliament are openly opposing the way Maliki has been handling issues related to security but particularly their concerns regarding national reconciliation. “Some parties which are part of the political process are involved in staging a coup against the Iraqi government,” said Sami al-Askari, a senior member of Maliki’s coalition government.
Several political parties with representatives in the parliament are openly opposing the way Maliki has been handling issues related to security but particularly their concerns regarding national reconciliation. “Some parties which are part of the political process are involved in staging a coup against the Iraqi government,” said Sami al-Askari, a senior member of Maliki’s coalition government.
Tareq al-Hashemi, a vice-president, and head of the main Sunni faction in parliament, is on a tour of Arab states and has hinted that a new ‘moderate front’ to counterbalance Maliki’s coalition was being formed. Maliki draws most of his support from Kurdish factions who have a large bloc in the parliament. His coalition was dealt a blow when Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said he was not happy with his performance.
A meeting in Cairo which brought together several parties among them small Kurdish factions seems to have unnerved the government. Ayad Allawi, a former prime minister, as well as Hashemi and the leader of a Kurdish Islamic party met in Cairo with the aim of setting up a ‘secular’ government. Maliki is reported to have rushed to Iraqi Kurdistan to secure support from his traditional Kurdish allies, Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi President and Massoud Barzani, head of the Kurdish autonomous region.
These factions hope to form a united front against the current government but they still lack backing from within the mainstream Shiite parties. Invitations to attend the Cairo meeting were sent to the Shiite al-Fadhila party which holds power in the southern city of Basra and the more powerful Shiite movement of cleric Moqtada Sadr’s supporters.
Amar Wajeeh, a senior member of Hashemi’s Islamic Party, confirmed that a joint front has been established to confront Maliki. He said the front was established in Cairo when it became clear that Maliki and his coalition were thwarting attempts to form a moderate coalition. Wajeeh said the front was still waiting a response from Fadhila and has sent a letter inviting Sadr’s group to join. Wajeeh said there was no truth behind reports that the front was staging a ‘coup.’ He said the front would use democratic means and try to gather enough votes in the parliament to bring about change.
A meeting in Cairo which brought together several parties among them small Kurdish factions seems to have unnerved the government. Ayad Allawi, a former prime minister, as well as Hashemi and the leader of a Kurdish Islamic party met in Cairo with the aim of setting up a ‘secular’ government. Maliki is reported to have rushed to Iraqi Kurdistan to secure support from his traditional Kurdish allies, Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi President and Massoud Barzani, head of the Kurdish autonomous region.
These factions hope to form a united front against the current government but they still lack backing from within the mainstream Shiite parties. Invitations to attend the Cairo meeting were sent to the Shiite al-Fadhila party which holds power in the southern city of Basra and the more powerful Shiite movement of cleric Moqtada Sadr’s supporters.
Amar Wajeeh, a senior member of Hashemi’s Islamic Party, confirmed that a joint front has been established to confront Maliki. He said the front was established in Cairo when it became clear that Maliki and his coalition were thwarting attempts to form a moderate coalition. Wajeeh said the front was still waiting a response from Fadhila and has sent a letter inviting Sadr’s group to join. Wajeeh said there was no truth behind reports that the front was staging a ‘coup.’ He said the front would use democratic means and try to gather enough votes in the parliament to bring about change.
Labels: Ayad Allawi, coup, Fadhela party, Nouri Al-Maliki, Sami al-Askari, Tareq al-Hashemi
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Al-Askari - Kurds agree to postpone referendum on Kirkuk
Politics
(Azzaman) - The government has hinted at ongoing talks with armed groups fighting U.S. occupation troops. An adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he saw such meetings as important. Sami al-Askari did not deny that Maliki had himself taken part in the meetings but said, “In principle we will be please in case such meetings have taken place.”
Askari also confirmed that progress was made in efforts to revise a law that made it impossible for former members of the Baath party to assume government jobs. With regard to constitutional amendments, he said Iraqi deputies and personalities charged with the task have also reported ‘good progress.’
But more important for the government has been, according to Askari, Kurds’ consent to postpone a referendum on the future of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. The ethnically mixed city, where some of Iraq’s largest oil fields are situated, is contested by Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen. Its destiny was to be decided by the end of this year but the United Nations charged of organizing the referendum says security conditions would discourage the stationing of independent monitors there.
Askari also confirmed that progress was made in efforts to revise a law that made it impossible for former members of the Baath party to assume government jobs. With regard to constitutional amendments, he said Iraqi deputies and personalities charged with the task have also reported ‘good progress.’
But more important for the government has been, according to Askari, Kurds’ consent to postpone a referendum on the future of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. The ethnically mixed city, where some of Iraq’s largest oil fields are situated, is contested by Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen. Its destiny was to be decided by the end of this year but the United Nations charged of organizing the referendum says security conditions would discourage the stationing of independent monitors there.
Labels: armed groups, Baathists, Kirkuk referendum, meetings, Sami al-Askari
