Middle East Politics.Net » al-Maliki

Al-Maliki: Walking a Fine Line in Iraq

hackenda — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:28:06 +0000

Recently, concerns have arisen both inside and outside of Iraq about the intentions of current prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. Over the past months, he has exerted great control over the government and the state in order to promote a strong central government and prevent the dissolution of Iraq. The intensely nationalist leader has made some bold moves as of late, attempting to sideline political rivals, ordering the Iraqi security forces to act in questionable circumstances, and mandating the arrests of some prominent Sunni leaders.

Some Iraqi citizens fear a return to the days of authoritarian rule much like those under Saddam Hussein. A few even worry he will become the next Saddam, although a more benevolent one. As the Shiite leader increasingly asserts himself in the nation, Iraqi Sunnis and Kurds remain uncertain about their futures.

Al-Maliki’s movement towards a central, authoritarian-style government goes against the strategy of democracy and equality that the US has been encouraging in the state, but it may be necessary to hold the country together. In order to keep all of the opposing forces in the different regions united, a very strong central government may indeed be the answer right now. Besides, supporters of al-Maliki claim that he is very aware of the limits to his power, citing the weakness of the state’s army and the influence of the Shiite elites in the nation.

With the security deal expected to be finalized in the near future, al-Maliki would gain even more power and fame, cementing his historic position as the leader who ended the long presence of the US troops.

Haley Hackendale

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Agreement Reached on Troop Withdrawal in Iraq

dpgallag — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:20:56 +0000

Finally, after a year of negotiations, a pact has been reached regarding a timetable for American troop presence in Iraq. The agreement was agreed upon Sunday by President al-Maliki and his cabinet. Now the deal must make it through Iraqi parliament this week to be considered binding. Still, this is a major benchmark in the process and the pact is expected to pass. It establishes that all American troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011. In addition to this, it puts new laws into effect holding the troops more accountable for their actions by Iraqi courts and creating a phased drawback plan. It will be interesting to see if violence levels continue to rise now that an agreement has been reached, in addition to the first actions of newly-elected President Barack Obama following his inauguration.

Dennis Gallagher

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Debating the Withdrawal

dpgallag — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:18:53 +0000

In a bit more of an opinion piece, a writer for The Economist examines the withdrawal of American troops and what it might mean. It is interesting to note that Obama’s plan for a recall isn’t until May of 2010, a lengthy period of time for a man who originally ran on the platform of immediate withdrawal, which I would interpret to mean 1-3 months. Perhaps this was a bit naive. Regardless, the troop presence will go beyond the UN mandate that expires at the end of this year, and this is a necessary thing for al-Maliki. The real question is how exactly will this change things in Iraq, in terms of responsibilities of American troops, jurisdiction of Iraqi police and justice systems, and how al-Maliki can truly grasp his power.

Dennis Gallagher

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Religious Minorities Speak Out Against Iraqi Election Legislation

hackenda — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:33:51 +0000

Although many citizens and policymakers in Iraq were displeased that the most recently passed election law failed to address critical issues like the city of Kirkuk, a whole new wave of opposition to the law has risen from people who are outraged and opposed to it entirely.

When the law was passed, legislators struck from it Article 50, which guaranteed political representation for Christians and members of other minority sects in Iraq. Constituents from these minority groups showed their displeasure by speaking out publicly and staging demonstrations this weekend in northern Iraq, where many of them reside.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has taken these demands into consideration and has urged Parliament and other government officials to amend this law in favor of the Christians and the other minorities who wish to remain active participants in the political sphere. The bill still has to be approved by President Talabani and his vice presidents, so there is definitely time for revisions if Parliament is willing to comply.

Haley Hackendale

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US Troop Withdrawal from Iraq–Is There an End in Sight?

hackenda — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:01:52 +0000

Although Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki recently insisted that his country is in the thick of intensive discussions regarding US troop withdrawal from Iraq, nothing concrete has come to fruition yet. He has made it well known that his government has most recently proposed a deal whereby all US troops would be out of the country by December 2011, but the US has not taken the bait.

The issues of contention surrounding the negotiation of a withdrawal deadline are the US soldiers’ ability to detain Iraqi citizens while still present there and the US soldiers’ immunity from being prosecuted in Iraqi courts. As this issue is strongly linked to each country maintaining its national sovereignty, it is unlikely that either side will cede to the other without major compromise.

Haley Hackendale

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Free Press Threatened Again in Iraq

hackenda — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:05:17 +0000

Yesterday in northern Iraq, four Iraqi journalists were abducted and killed in the middle of videotaping a television program about the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was outraged at the violence in the city of Mosul, and has given strict orders to Iraqi security forces to “find the perpetrators” and bring them to justice for committing such a “heinous crime.”

The journalists worked for the television network Al-Sharqiya, thought to be so controversial that the Iraqi government shut down its Baghdad bureau in early 2007. Nevertheless, al-Maliki recognizes the truth in US Ambassador Crocker’s statement that “the strength and vitality of a free press is the hallmark of an open and democratic society.” He has subsequently ordered Iraqi security forces in Nineveh to look into the matter more thoroughly. Two suspects have been detained in the case and an investigation is to follow.

Haley Hackendale

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Iraq’s New “Strongman” Gaining Too Much Strength?

hackenda — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:44:07 +0000

British news source The Guardian released a piece yesterday on the man at the forefront of Iraqi politics, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. He has begun to assert himself more in the political arena since the beginning of the US military surge in Iraq, and questions are arising as to whether Washington will soon step in and lay down the law to curb his behavior.

The US has set a precedent of developing strong ties with and closely monitoring the activities of the political figureheads put into place in Iraq. It has effectively influenced Iraq’s leadership in doing so. The previous prime minister, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, was eventually viewed as too independent by the US government and removed from his position.

Although al-Maliki faced challenges of a divided and unstable government when he entered office, and regardless of the fact that he is only really able to govern successfully the Green Zone, which is protected by the US, some officials believe he is becoming power hungry. This could be due in part to rising oil prices and increasing stability in some crucial regions of Iraq, both of which could lead to an inflated sense of success. The US response to his growing confidence will be something to monitor in the coming weeks.

Haley Hackendale

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