Posted on 08/27/2006 8:49:03 AM PDT by jdm
Iraq's prime minister plans to reshuffle his cabinet just 100 days after it was formed because of frustrations with some ministers' performance and disloyalty among others, Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih told Reuters.
In a weekend interview, he said Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki would make the changes soon in an "important signal" of commitment to efficiency in his national unity coalition and to his efforts to rally factions behind a reconciliation plan to avert civil war.
Some changes will involve the movement of radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, several political sources said on Sunday. A key player in the government formed in May after months of wrangling, Sadr denies his Mehdi Army militia runs some of the sectarian death squads behind much recent violence.
"There will be a government reshuffle. There will be some changes in a number of cabinet portfolios," Salih, the most senior Kurdish official in the cabinet, said.
"It's only natural for the prime minister and the political leadership to contemplate reshuffling and changing to improve the ability of the government," he added.
He declined to elaborate on the changes but said some could involve a change in the distribution of portfolios among the Shi'ite, Sunni, Kurdish and secular blocs in government.
"Some people have a foot in the government and a foot outside," Salih said. "They have to make a choice. Either they are part of the government and abide by the policies of the government or be outside the government.
"My hope is that all elements of the Iraqi polity will be genuinely united and committed to the government for national reconciliation. Those who are committed to that, their role in government should be enhanced. And those who undermine it, one should be looking at them in a different context."
SADR MOVEMENT
A senior official in Maliki's United Alliance, the Shi'ite Islamist bloc that dominates parliament, said he expected some changes to be announced before parliament reconvenes in a week after its summer recess. One minister from the Sadr movement, the transport minister, has already resigned, officials said.
The Alliance official, who asked not to be named, said aides to Sadr, who is not himself in the cabinet, were seeking to put new people into ministries controlled by his movement.
The faction has disowned some local leaders accused of militia violence and government officials, keen not to antagonize the powerful cleric, have said violence blamed on the Mehdi Army seems to be beyond Sadr's control.
Beyond the cabinet, there has also been speculation that the outspoken Sunni speaker of parliament Mahmoud al-Mashhadani may be replaced soon.
Salih said the government was making progress in engaging with rebel groups formerly opposed to the U.S.-sponsored political process and that it would soon start implementing promises Maliki made in turn to promote reconciliation, notably with the once dominant Sunni Arab minority of Saddam Hussein.
Among such promises, were freeing insurgent suspects and promoting economic growth in the Sunni west and north.
Salih said Iraq's political leadership must work together or face civil war: "All say at least that civil war will be a catastrophe for all.
"But if we are not careful and if we do not ... walk back from the extreme polarization ... we cannot be so sure about the future. It has reached a stage where people understand that meaningful action needs to be undertaken."
Handing power of any sort to Mookie Sadr will be tantamount to surrender ... should this happen, we may as well start bringing our soldiers home. IMHO, the US made a tragic mistake in not taking out this detestable slime when they had him in their crosshairs in Najaf.
"Handing power of any sort to Mookie Sadr will be tantamount to surrender"
He already has some power.
The yellow flags always come up with any article from Al-Reuters.
And this is no different, giving a religion tag to every single person mentioned as either Shite, Sunni, or Kurd; while a huge majority of Iraqis see a secular society.
Just more bullshit from the drive-by media to create more panic and negativity than what is real.
Iran? "The faction has disowned some local leaders accused of militia violence and government officials, keen not to antagonize the powerful cleric, have said violence blamed on the Mehdi Army seems to be beyond Sadr's control."
"And this is no different, giving a religion tag to every single person mentioned as either Shite, Sunni, or Kurd; while a huge majority of Iraqis see a secular society."
Umm, 'Kurd' isn't a religion. Apart from that, the tags are mainly what the parties give to themselves. The main bloc in the parliament define themselves as a religious party.
That slipped - thanks for pointing that out.
Apart from that, the tags are mainly what the parties give to themselves. The main bloc in the parliament define themselves as a religious party.
From interviews I have seen with Iraqi legislators and Iraqi businesspeople & citizens, I got the drift that Iraq was mainly a secular society. Your point is duly noted.
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