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A major reshuffle of the newly formed Iraqi cabinet is expected shortly, sources close to the Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki told Adnkronos International (AKI) on Thursday. The sources explained that "the Committee for the Eradication of the Baath party will officially require al-Maliki to dismiss the ministers who are trying to re-found Saddam's party, because their behaviour is at odds with the Iraqi constitution, which forbids the reconstitution of such political group." The ministers who are predicted to be removed from their posts belong to the Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim (a Shiite coalition), the Adnan al-Dulaymi (a Sunni group) and...

It’s become clear from the active shuttle-like movement of the rival parties and mediators that the intensity of the political crisis began to subside compared to how things looked like a week ago. In spite of the violence that disturbed Baghdad this morning, the rival parties resumed their meetings and talks with some politicians playing the role of mediators; the most prominent of whom is President Talabani and even in the two main competing camps we’re hearing moderate voices emerge to propose solutions like the Virtue Party from the UIA and al-Mutlaq from Maram.

Government coalition would include secular Shiites, Kurds -------------------------------------------- BAGHDAD, Iraq — A leading Sunni politician said Friday his party would be open to an alliance with secular Shiites and Kurds to form a coalition government to run the country once the results are in from this week's parliamentary elections. "We will not accept the exclusion of any segment of the Iraqi people unless they themselves don't want to participate," said Adan al-Dulaimi, a former Islamic studies professor who heads a Sunni Arab bloc that is now expected to have power in parliament. U.S. officials view al-Dulaimi, who heads an alliance...

(Q) What is your assessment of the current situation in Iraq? (A) The Iraqi situation is worrisome and among the main dangers that Iraq is going through at present are the cracks in national unity, the absence of the state's institutions, and the economic stagnation and even recession. There is no vision of how to proceed forward. Consequently, the hostile forces, whether inside or abroad, are trying to stop the cycle of development. We find today an absence of even the institutions we had built during our government's short period in office and by this; I mean the judicial, security,...

The following letter came in the mail. Ignore the English mistakes and focus on the natural intelligence of the author. I have interjected running commentary which early on is in red type. My Iraqi conversational partner is not identified. If you don't understand why, you've attended modern American public schools. (LL) (The first two text paragraphs are by me) My congratulations on a very good job of writing and analysis. I am both relieved and fearful for you, because in your land, as in most Arab lands these days, reason and logic could be a death sentence. There are so...