Posted on 12/21/2011 2:54:02 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has warned of "problems" if Kurdish authorities in the north of the country refuse to hand over vice-president Tariq al-Hashimi for trial on terrorism charges.
Maliki demanded that Kurdish officials not offer refuge to Hashimi, who fled to the semi-autonomous region over the weekend before an arrest warrant was issued for him.
The demand has again raised the stakes in an escalating political crisis that has taken on sectarian dimensions. Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani, is a Kurd from the north and seeking him to surrender Hashimi is asking him to take sides.
Maliki said at a news conference on Wednesday that he had "known" of Hashimi's "crimes" for three years, but had chosen not to reveal them for the sake of the country's political programme, which has attempted to showcase reconciliation efforts. However, any notion of national unity has fast unravelled within three days of the final US withdrawal from Iraq, leaving a country that appears ever more divided and unstable.
The Iraqiya political bloc that includes most of Iraq's Sunni lawmakers has again threatened to boycott cabinet meetings, leading Maliki to warn he would replace any member who refused to attend.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
W Bush broke Iraq. Deposed the secular Saddam who was a buffer against the Iranian Mullahs. Now, Iran is going to try to take over and will likely succeed.
It’s happening a little sooner than expected, but it’s not a real surprise.
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