Posted on 04/28/2005 9:18:16 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Iraq formed its first democratically elected government in more than 50 years on Thursday, ending three months of political stalemate that has crippled efforts to tackle violence.
But Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari failed to name permanent ministers to five key portfolios, including oil and defense, and a top Sunni Muslim official criticized the new government as sectarian.
The 275-seat parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the cabinet proposed by Jaafari, ending a power vacuum that had dissipated the optimism created by the Jan. 30 elections.
The government's formation coincided with the 68th birthday of former dictator Saddam Hussein, who is awaiting trial in a U.S.-run jail on Baghdad's outskirts.
"The journey was full of blood, words, sweat and tears until this day, when our people gave you their trust to carry out this responsibility," Jaafari told parliament ahead of the vote.
The cabinet, designed to accommodate Iraq's rival ethnic and sectarian groups, will consist of 31 ministers and four deputy prime ministers, as well as Jaafari.
Most of the posts went to majority Shi'ite Muslims, who have gained power after decades of Sunni-led rule under Saddam. Kurds and Sunni Arabs were also strongly represented.
No permanent ministers were named for the oil, defense, electricity, industry and human rights portfolios, while two deputy prime minister posts were left vacant. Jaafari will be acting defense minister and Ahmad Chalabi acting oil minister.
Seven ministries went to women.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Best of luck to these guys - they'll need it.
Iraq formed its first democratically elected government in more than 50 years on Thursday, ending three months of political stalemate that has crippled efforts to tackle violence.
But Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari failed to name permanent ministers to five key portfolios, including oil and defense, and a top Sunni Muslim official criticized the new government as sectarian.
There.
This is good news.
NPR had a piece yesterday about the slow formation of the Iraqi government. Their reporter went to the usual barbershops and street corner cafes where disgruntled Iraqis sip tea and complain to the western media about their frustrations. I wonder if NPR will now do a follow-up that features Iraqis who are pleased to have a government?
Not bad, only 3 months. It takes the US 2 1/2 months to assign cabinet posts and then it takes even longer to get them confirmed. Iraq is doing pretty good!
Great points. I hope W uses them tonite...
"Not bad, only 3 months. It takes the US 2 1/2 months to assign cabinet posts and then it takes even longer to get them confirmed. Iraq is doing pretty good!"
I second that analysis. Some at this site though all have a free right to express their opinions, seem not to have a solid understanding of just difficult it has been to form any type government. And of course, the political parties consisting of Sunni are going to continue to complain. In a overly simplistic analogy, look at how hard it is to get things done in our House and Senate. They need lots of time to overcome many difficulties that are natural to their culture. Is it any different in the reality of things, to think they should find it easier to come together on equal grounds, then it is for more Americans to realize the far left liberal thinking can destroy the sovereignty of the United States?
Poor Luke.
Iraq's government is comming together faster than he anticipated and it's causing him such consternation that the only thing he can gripe about it is that it isn't fast enough.
Kind of a conundrum for dems.
They're against it, but since it's happening, they use the 'not fast enough' arguement, hoping, of course, that it will fail.
Good point. I fnay lib gives flack about how "long" it took for this happen, ask them why they don't demand speedier results at home by calling on their Senators to drop the filibuster of nominees?
You have a point, but we have to remember this is merely a transitional government which has a very limited life span to do an awful lot. Getting a new constitution in place (which could make or break Iraq) was supposed to be completed by August, then followed by a referendum and the election proper in December.
I think the comments of both Rumsfeld and Zoellick expressing deep concerns about how long it has taken to form a new government are merited. Excessive delays in completing the constitution (and I would count that as anything over about three months) will serve to aggravate the Iraqi Street.
The discontent among even moderate Sunni Arabs, as reflected in the immediate reacion of Ghazi al-Yawer, does not bode well for hopes of building consensus during the drafting stage.
I do not wish to be a Jeremiah -- I believe that such a momentous step was always going to be fraught -- but let us tinge our optimism with a degree of realism, and hope to be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
Only Roto-Reuters could include that.
MORE QUAGMIRE---does Teddy Kennedy know about this?
Congratulations!
Now whats on the agenda. The fair trial and hanging of Saddam?
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