Maliki Resigns as Prime Minister to Make Way for Abadi

Thanks Darlene


Maliki Resigns as Prime Minister to Make Way for Abadi
By Jonathan Ferziger and Nadeem Hamid
August 14, 2014 5:32 PM EDT


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Caretaker Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, center, at the Defence Ministry in Baghdad during the funeral of Major General Majid Abdul Salam, the pilot of a helicopter that crashed the day before in northern Iraq, on Aug 13, 2014. Photograph: AFP via Getty Images

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he has agreed to leave office and clear the way for his designated successor to take over.

The move ends a political impasse and may enable Prime Minister-designate Haidar al-Abadi to pull together a more inclusive government better able to counter Islamist militants advancing in the country’s north, and to heal sectarian and ethnic rifts threatening to tear Iraq apart.

“In order to ease the political process and the formation of the new government I announce in front of you today that I am withdrawing my bid for prime minister,” Maliki said in a televised address late last night with Abadi standing at his side.

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As forces of the Islamic State pushed into new areas of northern Iraq, they seized towns and a major dam near the city of Mosul, and sent thousands of members of ethnic Yezidis and Christians fleeing onto the exposed slopes of Mount Sinjar. The chaos loosened Maliki’s grip on power, as even some past allies blamed him for the political stalemate that let the Sunni militants advance.

With Iraqi warplanes striking Islamist militant positions in the western city of Fallujah after a series of raids by American fighter jets on the insurgents in the north, Maliki’s Dawa party urged political leaders to replace the premier.
Minority Shiites

Maliki’s Shiite-dominated administration is accused by minority Sunnis of alienating their community, some of whom swung behind the Islamic State as it began a major offensive in early June.
Maliki said last night that he didn’t want to be the reason for a drop of blood to be spilled and called on other lawmakers to back [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]’s constitution as they confronted the terror group. Referring to Abadi by name, he said the decision was “for the higher benefit of the country.”

Obama said yesterday that U.S. warplanes and ground advisers had helped break the siege of the Yezidis.

“Because of these efforts, we do not expect there to be an additional operation to evacuate people off the mountain,” he said. “And it’s unlikely that we’re going to need to continue humanitarian air drops.”

Still, the “situation remains dire for Iraqis subject to ISIL’s terror throughout the country,” Obama said, referring to the jihadist group that now calls itself the Islamic State. “It also includes many Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds.”

‘Inclusive’ Government
Abadi, who was born in 1952, has until mid-September to form a cabinet for what the U.S. says should be an “inclusive” government that can reverse sectarian measures imposed by Maliki that fueled Sunni support for Islamic State, as well as Kurdish threats of independence for their region.

Abadi’s nomination has had the unusual effect of drawing support both from the U.S. and from neighboring [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], which has major influence over Iraq’s Shiites and funds several Shiite militia groups. The European Union and the Arab League have also backed Abadi’s appointment.

EU foreign ministers will be seeking signs of greater unity when they meet today in Brussels to discuss Iraq and Ukraine. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and Britain preempted a green light from all 28 EU members and yesterday started supplying Kurdish forces with weapons. Germany and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] have indicated they may follow.
Islamic State, which began as an al-Qaeda affili
ate in 2003, has rampaged through northern Iraq, amid reports of beheadings and crucifixions. Its fighters have captured strategic assets to fund a self-declared Islamic caliphate announced in June and that stretches across the frontier into [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].

To contact the reporters on this story: Jonathan Ferziger in Tel Aviv at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]; Nadeem Hamid in Washington at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Andrew J. Barden at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]; John Walcott at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Larry Liebert

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Still a Shiite leader, just one that hopefully can bring united feelings and of coarse deal with the KURDS.

Maliki formally relinquish power



08/14/20142 



Gave former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's speech announcing the abandonment officially claim the post of prime minister in favor of the position of Wi-Haider al-Abadi, who appeared at his right hand to the center of the absence of MP Hanan al-Maliki added Leave all positions until the Iraqi Atrac drop of blood because of me 

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