Iraqi Shiite Party Leader Now in U.S. for Lung-Cancer Treatment

Washington Post ^ | Saturday, May 19, 2007 | Robin Wright

[do the dhue]

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of the largest and most powerful Shiite party in Iraq, is in the United States for urgent medical attention, according to U.S. officials and his organization.

His party, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, refused to discuss Hakim's diagnosis, but U.S. officials said the cleric, 57, has been found to have lung cancer and is in the United States for further tests and to develop a treatment plan.

In a reflection of Hakim's stature, President Bush authorized immediate transportation to get Hakim from Iraq to the United States, an administration source said yesterday. Vice President Cheney played a role in arranging for Hakim to see U.S. military doctors in Baghdad, who made the original diagnosis, and for the current medical treatment in Houston, the sources said.

Hakim's health problem comes at a sensitive time in Iraq. Its leaders are struggling to reconcile politically, considered a key step toward ending Iraq's endemic violence. His party, until recently known as the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, has the most seats in the Iraqi parliament.

[do the dhue]

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim
Had been considered by some as a contender for prime minister, Mr Hakim leads the powerful Shia party the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri). Mr Hakim spent 20 years as an exile in Iran and has support from Ayatollah Sistani. Mr Hakim's brother, the revered Ayatollah Muhammad Baqr al-Hakim, was killed in a car bombing in August 2003 outside the shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf.

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim

[joonbug]

Not Cuba? Doesn’t Michael Moore contend that Cuba has a great health care system? Why stoop to getting inferior care in the US? Hmmmm?

[do the dhue]

good point. Cuba can have Mikhail Moore too.

[bill1952]

Why not Mexico? No one willing to do that particular job?

[68skylark]

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of the largest and most powerful Shiite party in Iraq, is in the United States for urgent medical attention.

It would be nice if this wins us some goodwill from Mr. Aziz or his supporters. But I don't know if that's realistic.

[do the dhue]

But I don't know if that's realistic.

I concur. A little proof of goodwill would be nice.

[eleni121]

He is just another lesser evil than other evils.

[SevenMinusOne]

More from the New Iraqi Gov’t should be (and should have) been coming over here to the States and thanking us for removing the Saddam regime...and asking our public to stay with them while they establish “new Iraq”.

[Mr_Tiki]

I think his recent change of name of his party last week and distancing himself from Iran, may have been a sign of closer link to the US.