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New Iraqi Government Approved
American Forces Press Service ^ | Jim Garamone

Posted on 05/20/2006 1:56:32 PM PDT by SandRat

BAGHDAD, May 20, 2006 – In a watershed day in Iraqi history, the country's Parliament today approved 39 ministers and state secretaries that form the elected, representative government.

Click photo for screen-resolution image

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announces his new Cabinet in the Baghdad convention center May 20. Multinational Force Iraq photo  

The Parliament confirmed Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's choices for the Iraqi national unity government. The 37-member Cabinet contains representatives from all major parties and all major ethnic and secular groups.

Following the vote, the ministers took their oath of office during a session broadcast throughout Iraq. The Parliament met at the Baghdad convention center.

The vote followed months of political discussions following the Dec. 15, 2005, national elections. Still, parties have not agreed on ministers of defense, minister interior and national security.

Al-Maliki, a Shiite Arab, will serve as acting interior minister, whose responsibilities include the police in Iraq. Al-Maliki also appointed Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zaubai, a Sunni Arab, as interim defense minister. Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh, a Kurd, will be acting state secretary for national security.

With the approval, the constitution the Iraqi people approved Oct. 15, 2005, takes full effect. "Today, the Iraqis have established complete control over their nation," said Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the deputy chief of staff for strategic effects for Multinational Force Iraq.

"They are now in the lead and the U.S. government is just in support of that," he said. "They are the authoritative decision-making body in this country and anything we do from here on, we will have to do in consultation with the legitimate government authority."

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad said he is pleased the Iraqis now have a democratically elected government. The embassy looks forward to working with the new ministers to build a free and secure Iraq, he said. He anticipates the new government will have an effect on the number of coalition troops in the country, but feels it is too early to say.

"The current size of our forces, the composition of our forces, the current missions of our forces are not ends in themselves for us," Khalilzad said during a news conference at the Ocean Cliffs press center. "Iraqi self-reliance and increasing security for Iraqis is."

Khalilzad said that with the political changes, especially the Iraqi emphasis on unity and reconciliation, the security situation in the country will improve. He said effective ministers will help breed the atmosphere that will allow the United States and other coalition nations to draw down their troop numbers.

The ambassador hastened to add he believed that with the political changes taking place - with the emphasis on unity - the United States will only draw down troop numbers if conditions on the ground warrant it.

Al-Maliki told Parliament that he would make restoring stability and security top priorities. He stressed the importance of capable and loyal military and police forces.

He said he wants to set an "objective timetable" for withdrawal of coalition forces after Iraqi forces develop the capabilities to maintain order in the country. He said he will stress security in the greater Baghdad area and work to increase the amount of electricity available in the capital.

The Cabinet includes three women: Human Rights Minister Wejdan Mikhail, State Secretary for Women's Rights Faten Abdelrahmane Mahmoud, and Environment Minister Narmine Othman.

Al-Maliki chose Hussein Shahristani as oil minister. Former Interior Minister Bayan Jabr Solagh will serve as finance minister. Hoshyar Zebari will serve as foreign minister, and Abdelfalah al-Sudani will serve as commerce minister. The justice minister is Hashem al-Shibli.

Other ministers are Industry Minister Fawzi Hariri; Hydraulic Resources Minister Latif Rashid; Construction and Housing Minister Bayan Dzeyyi; Communication Minister Mohammed Tawfik Allawi; Science and Technology Minister Raed Fahmi Jahed; Higher Education Minister Abed Diab al-Ujali; Planning Minister Ali Baban; and Culture Minister Assaad Kamal al-Hashemi.

Also approved were:

  • Health Minister Ali al-Shemri
  • Youth and Sports Minister Jassem Jaafer
  • Transport Minister Karim Mehdi Saleh
  • Education Minister Khodeir al-Khuzai
  • Work and Social Affairs Minister Mahmud Jawad al-Radi Electricity Minister Karim Wahid
  • Municipalities and Public Works Minister Ryad Ghraib
  • State Secretary for Provincial Affairs Saad Taher al-Hashemi
  • State Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs Safa al-Safi
  • State Secretary for National Dialogue Akram al-Hakim Agriculture Minister Yorob Nazem al-Abbudi
  • State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Rafeh al-Issawi
  • State Secretary for Civil Affairs Adel al-Assadi
  • State Secretary for Tourism and Archaeology Minister Liwa Smeyssem
  • Immigrants Minister Abdelsamad Rahman Sultan
  • State Secretary Mohammed Abbas al-Oraibi
  • State Secretary Hassan al-Sari
  • State Secretary Ali Mohammed Ahmed.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: approved; government; iraq; iraqi; iraqielection; iraqipm; maliki; new; rebuildingiraq; victory
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The Iraqi's are on their way now.
1 posted on 05/20/2006 1:56:32 PM PDT by SandRat
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To: 91B; HiJinx; Spiff; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; clintonh8r; TEXOKIE; windchime; Grampa Dave; ...

Gee another major victory in the WOT battle.


2 posted on 05/20/2006 1:57:13 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat
I hope and pray that we can bring hope and a future to the Iraqi people. Something Al Quada can not.
3 posted on 05/20/2006 2:04:25 PM PDT by do the dhue (I hope y'all will help bail me out of jail after I dot Coward Dean's eyes.)
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To: SandRat

This is a HUGH story...an historical day, in OUR attempt to help the Iraqi people set up a democratic form of government..

However, I have heard only small mentions now and then on Fox News....

Our poor troops, for DAYS the story has been about Murtha's exploitation of the Marine story, trying to paint them as berserk killers..all over the news.

This is not....


4 posted on 05/20/2006 2:06:00 PM PDT by Txsleuth
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To: SandRat; iraqikurd

Excellent! Congratulations to the Iraqis!


5 posted on 05/20/2006 2:07:50 PM PDT by Just A Nobody (NEVER AGAIN..Support our Troops! I *LOVE* my attitude problem. Beware the Enemedia!)
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To: SandRat
The MSM version will be something like this:

New Iraqi Government Approved, but...

yadda yadda

6 posted on 05/20/2006 2:10:02 PM PDT by Huck (Hey look, I'm still here.)
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To: SandRat

This is great news and it will give the MSM front page material for all their Sunday editons to run instead of the concocted civil war stories. However, I'm not going to hold my breath.


7 posted on 05/20/2006 2:11:11 PM PDT by jazusamo (-- Married a WAC in '65 and I'm still reenlisting. :-)
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To: Huck

What? Where is this? Iraq? This must be propaganda, I haven't heard anything over the MSM...


8 posted on 05/20/2006 2:12:02 PM PDT by brushcop (SPL Robert Hornbeck B-Co. 2/69, 3ID You will always be remembered.)
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To: Huck
All ready heard it this morning on the local car radio (a CBS News Station) and the but that quickly came was all about how ineffectual the new government was because of 23 dead in bombings in Iraq as they met to be sworn in.
9 posted on 05/20/2006 2:12:44 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat; Admin Moderator; Lead Moderator

Can we get this into Breaking News?


10 posted on 05/20/2006 2:12:47 PM PDT by MikefromOhio (aka MikeinIraq - Woohoo!! I'm on A List!!! yay!!!!)
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To: MikefromOhio

Thank you Mike.

I normally don't use Breaking News as I have so much to get out that the MSM is Hiding that if I did use it I'd Control the Breaking News Column


11 posted on 05/20/2006 2:15:19 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

The only Quagmire exists in the DNC! This is amazing news. Our soldiers should take a big bow today.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighting Troops


12 posted on 05/20/2006 2:18:00 PM PDT by bray (The only thing lower than Bush' numbers are the press')
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To: bray

Best of all is that it Happened Because of their Hard Work and Sacrafices on Today May 20th, 2006, Armed Forces Day.


13 posted on 05/20/2006 2:20:50 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

14 posted on 05/20/2006 2:27:16 PM PDT by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)
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To: SandRat

Yeah!


15 posted on 05/20/2006 2:29:10 PM PDT by Williams
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To: MikefromOhio

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1635392/posts
Iraqi Parliament Approves Cabinet of Incoming PM Nouri al-Maliki
FoxNews ^ | May 20, 2006 | AP


Posted on 05/20/2006 6:00:14 AM CDT by RobFromGa



16 posted on 05/20/2006 2:33:40 PM PDT by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)
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To: SandRat
This should bring an end to talk of an "Iraq War." The war is over (has been for quite a while, but this makes it official). The Sunni insurgency is reduced to leftover criminals, as the Sunnis have now taken their respective place in the Iraqi government. The Sunni insurgency has no rival government in place, controls no territory, and has no regular forces.

The remaining job of Iraqi and Coalition forces is to destroy the terror cells manned by foreign jihadis. The Iraqis will take care of the shrinking number of Sunni criminals.

Reframe the debate. Tell your loser liberal acquaintances they are defeated, the Iraqis have won, and the Coalition will help Iraq until things are secure enough to leave, except for our imperialist forward bases, which are required for our future plans for world domination, heh. (I tell them that last part just to watch their ears smoke.)

Murtha, too late, you have lost. Howard ("unfortunately, we can't win") Dean, you lose too. Kerry, you lose, yet again.

As for the civil war, the MSM gave it, but nobody came. Head for "Palestine" you pinhead prevaricators, that's where the civil war is taking place.
17 posted on 05/20/2006 2:51:45 PM PDT by SaxxonWoods (The leadership of Iran must be decapitated or overthrown, now.)
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To: Txsleuth
I agree with you...this IS major news! This is a monumental geopolitical shift toward freedom --- in the heart of the Middle East.

Well done and thank you to our President and all the men and women serving so honorably in the US Military.
18 posted on 05/20/2006 3:01:30 PM PDT by Right_in_Virginia
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To: Right_in_Virginia

I think that the fact that this was going to happen today, is one reason the Murtha made that speech saying those Marines are guilty...even before the report is finished.

And, it worked....there have been all kinds of press about his speech...but nothing about this.

Also, Duncan Hunter gave a press conference late yesterday afternoon, in opposition to Murtha's characterization..and had I not actually turned on C-span, I wouldn't know about it...because I have seen NO sound bites or reporting about HIS side at all.


19 posted on 05/20/2006 3:17:16 PM PDT by Txsleuth
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To: SandRat

LOL

yeah....

Although I'd love to see the nay-sayers on FR talk about this one too.


Unfortunately there are a few of them.


20 posted on 05/20/2006 3:47:00 PM PDT by MikefromOhio (aka MikeinIraq - Woohoo!! I'm on A List!!! yay!!!!)
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