Allawi announces new coalition to fight for prime minister post

AP ^

[jmc1969]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi announced Wednesday he's forming a broad coalition to fight for the post of prime minister after Iraq's dominant Shiite political party nominated a conservative for the job.

"There are other lists and other brothers in smaller lists which won the elections, and we are working with some of those lists to form a national Iraqi democratic coalition which believes in Iraq and its principles," Allawi told a news conference.

Allawi said he considered al-Jaafari an "honorable man," but when asked if he feared that the alliance could impose Islamic rule in Iraq, Allawi said without elaboration that he opposed the creation of any form of Islamic government.

"We are liberal powers and we believe in a liberal Iraq and not an Iraq governed by political Islamists. But as a person he is an honorable man, fighter and a good brother," Allawi said.

[GraniteStateConservative]

I'll take the devil we know in Allawi. I hope he pulls this out.

[adam_az]

Interesting that he doesn't think that Chalabi is even a player in this.

[demlosers]

As long as they stick to a Constitution that espouses the virtues of a free democracy, Iraq's democratic future looks bright.

[1LongTimeLurker]

It's either Allawi or a guy in bed with Iran.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

The biggest mistake made by the secular parties, e.g. the former Communists, Sharistani and the royalists, the new list formed by the former Sunni president, etc., etc..., was not coalescing into a solid, viable political bloc.

To think that any one of these parties, alone, was going to have a significant impact on the election was sheer folly.

[demlosers]

HOW IRAQ VOTED

During Iraq's elections Jan. 30, 58% of eligible voters turned out to choose among 111 slates. Turnout was high in the peaceful Kurdish north and Shiite south. But voters were reluctant to go to the polls in predominantly Sunni central Iraq and in Mosul, where insurgent violence has been intense. In Anbar province, home to the insurgent strongholds of Fallujah and Ramadi, only 2% voted. The Independent Electoral Commission released turnout statistics on Tuesday for Iraq's 18 provinces:
Province	Eligible voters	Number of votes	Turnout
Anbar	574,138	13,893	2%
Babil	694,192	507,153	73%
Baghdad	3,664, 922	1,887,010	51%
Basra	1,035,055	748,967	72%
Dahuk	429,182	396,824	92%
Diyala	624,099	206,529	33%
Erbil	795, 291	666,362	84%
Karbala	409,081	305,798	75%
Missan	417,273	255,584	61%
Muthanna	295,326	191,336	65%
Najaf	493,808	371,615	75%
Ninevah	1,197,940	203,198	17%
Salah al-Din	498,017	145,656	29%
Sulaimaniyah	914,441	750,837	82%
Tamim	576,048	403,286	70%
Thi-Qar	778,574	535,991	69%
Qadissiya	486,827	344,316	71%
Wassit	494,955	351,801	71%
Total	14,379,169	8,286,156	58%
Does not include votes from overseas.
Source: Iraqi Ministry of Trade

[wallcrawlr]

I heard Chalabi bowed out.

[mbraynard]

Only because he didn't have the votes.

[self_evident]

To think that any one of these parties, alone, was going to have a significant impact on the election was sheer folly.

It's a parlimentary system, so coalitions are going to predominantely be formed after elections, not before.

[self_evident]

Chalibi isn't done, he will be a huge player in the future. He can triangulate between the religious shia and the secular groups and be "kingmaker" on any given issue.

[self_evident]

Thanks, very interesting numbers. As I understand it, any group of three provinces can veto any future constitution. Anbar, Diyala, an Ninevah might as well be named Ohio, Florida, and Michigan.

[keats5]

It's kind of wierd to see "Ninevah" on that list.

[Josef1235]

He mean traditional liberals as in Republicans or "liberals" as in Christine Gregoire, Gray Davis, Rep. Tubbs, Hillary Clinton, etcetera?

[SevenMinusOne]

Chalibi isn't done, he will be a huge player in the future. He can triangulate between the religious shia and the secular groups and be "kingmaker" on any given issue.

Chalibi is a bum - And he is simply a smoke-blower - He will wield less and less power as time moves on - Our SOF that worked with him on the ground didn't trust him a lick and those Iraqi's working with him now will trust him less and less as time goes on.

Allawi is a good man - Lets hope he stays as part of any governing body in Iraq for some time -

[mjaneangels@aolcom]

"Our SOF that worked with him on the ground didn't trust him a lick and those Iraqi's working with him now will trust him less and less as time goes on."

Please post a link or URL to evidence of this.

[NRA2BFree]

I heard he is referred to as a "cleric in a suit." He's VERY much wanting to turn Iraq into an Islamic country. That will start a civil war.

[piasa]

OUCH! Don't you just hate it when people keep asking you to support your allegations?

[olde north church]

It's kind of wierd to see "Ninevah" on that list.
That caught my eye, too. It made me wonder about the Babil province and a possible connection to the most famous tower in history.
Also: I was under the impression Abram was a Chaldean by ethnicity. Chaldeans are not Semitic people so why would Hebrews be considered Semitic?

[SevenMinusOne]

Please post a link or URL to evidence of this. I have have a good friend that was on the ground with an SOF (ODA) team just outside of Nasiriya early on in the invasion. It wasn't his team but two others that worked with Chalabi that said he was not to be trusted (and in many ways was trying to undercut our efforts immediately upon hitting the ground within Iraq).

For an "on the record" account of this go read Masters of Chaos (a very good read) - Both Major John Burns as well as Major Randy Wurst (for the record, these are two men who have more awards and have done more for our Country than just about anyone currently serving - they performed some of the most hostile operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan).

Both these men say Chalabi is a snake - (along with another half-dozen who are not named within the book).

The book also gives further details as to Mr Chalabi's looting and more -

Piasa - You have already been shown a fool in other threads with your complete lack of any knowledge when it comes to Mr. Chalabi and more so the role of SOF with Iraq. You should really stop trying to comment on subjects you know little to nothing about. You have shown that on a variety of threads.