Al-Maliki and his allies acknowledge the failure of the Al-Sadr containment strategy and agree to en

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[size=52]Al-Maliki and his allies acknowledge the failure of the Al-Sadr containment strategy and agree to end it[/size]

[size=45]Translation: Hamed Ahmed[/size]
[size=45]A report stated that the armed factions are avoiding a conflict between the Shiite component because of the dispute over the next government, but indicated their readiness to deal with any escalation issued by the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr. A report by MEE, translated by Al-Mada, stated that "relations between the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr and members of the coordination framework have deteriorated more than they were in the past."[/size]
[size=45]The report added, "This came after months of frustration and deadlocks, to the extent that Iraqi Shiite leaders expect armed clashes to occur, even over identity."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "Al-Sadr, after his exit from the elections as the winner of the highest votes, faces problems and frustrations that prevent him and his allies from forming a government."[/size]
[size=45]The report stated, "Other Shiite parties have frozen the formation of a government at a time when al-Sadr allied himself with Sunni and Kurdish parties."[/size]
[size=45]And he indicated, "The ruling of the Federal Supreme Court regarding the quorum required for the process of electing the president of the republic, prevented al-Sadr from being able to choose a president and a prime minister; Because his rivals boycotted parliament sessions.”[/size]
[size=45]The report noted, "Al-Sadr decided to keep the current government led by Mustafa Al-Kazemi, but the Federal Court returned again to rule against him by saying that Al-Kazemi's cabin is limited to the role of conducting business only, and it cannot take the important decisions required to run the country's affairs."[/size]
[size=45]And he believed, "This decision unleashed anger from Al-Sadr that his competitors have not witnessed since the start of the negotiations to form the government, as he publicly denounced the judiciary, accusing him of going along with the disgraceful acts of the blocking third in terms of what he knows or does not know."[/size]
[size=45]The report added, "Al-Sadr promised that he would not abandon his project to form a national majority government and crossed the two-decade stage by relying on a consensus government that harmed the country."[/size]
[size=45]He stressed, "Al-Sadr's speech, which lasted for three minutes, surprised many Iraqis and angered his competitors."[/size]
[size=45]He added, "The official of Saraya al-Salam, Abu Mustafa al-Hamidawi, was quick to dispel any confusion in the meanings of al-Sadr's speech, and wrote in a tweet to him, saying: We are ready, so wait for us."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that "a convoy of hundreds of Saraya al-Salam fighters roamed the streets of Sadr City, stressing the readiness to carry out any orders from al-Sadr."[/size]
[size=45]The report quotes Shiite leaders as saying that "the leaders of the armed factions who are following developments have told their followers to maintain as much restraint as possible."[/size]
[size=45]He continues, "The prime minister can be elected by the largest parliamentary bloc only, according to the Iraqi constitution, but according to the system of political partnership in governance and power that the Iraqi forces have adopted since 2003, which is that the prime minister should be from the Shiite component's share."[/size]
[size=45]And the report stated, “The Shiite forces began to stress that regardless of the fact that the largest parliamentary bloc has the right to install the prime minister, it must be the largest Shiite bloc, in reference to the involvement of the most prominent framework forces, which is the coalition of state law led by al-Maliki, in order to undermine Al-Sadr’s supremacy in Parliament.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, "Al-Sadr tried to build a larger Shiite bloc by courting independents and smaller Shiite parties, even by granting them the position of prime minister, provided that they form a bloc of 40 deputies and join his alliance, but he did not succeed in that."[/size]
[size=45]The report continues, "The members of the coordination framework decided, during the meeting that gathered their leaders at Haider al-Abadi's house in Baghdad on May 16, to adopt a new strategy."[/size]
[size=45]According to the report, one of the leaders in the coordination framework says that "the strategy to contain al-Sadr must end because it pushes him to take tough positions."[/size]
[size=45]The leader added, "Al-Sadr believes that we are afraid of confronting him, and that he can be alone with whatever he and his group want. He is completely wrong.”[/size]
[size=45]The leader indicated, “The coordinating framework was very patient with him, but he interpreted our patience as fear or weakness. This stage is over, and he will see a different face from us in the coming days.”[/size]
[size=45]The report confirmed, "Two well-informed people revealed an agreement at a meeting of the coordination framework that Al-Sadr will be presented with three options."[/size]
[size=45]The report pointed out that "the first option is to ally with the coordination framework to form a consensual partnership in power that will last for only one year, and if this option fails, the majority government that al-Sadr wants will be formed."[/size]
[size=45]He noted, "The second option is to dissolve parliament and call for new elections, and the third option will be to keep the situation as it is."[/size]
[size=45]The leader in the coordinating framework reiterates, “Any attempts by al-Sadr or his allies to make any governmental or legislative changes that alter the current balance of power, will be confronted by all available means.”[/size]
[size=45]For his part, a prominent leader in one of the factions stated, according to the report, that “our biggest fear throughout all this time is the possibility of a Shiite-Shiite conflict, and that is why we are turning a blind eye to the threats being made against us.”[/size]
[size=45]The armed leader added, "The factions do not fear any confrontation, and if he speaks the language of threat, we will speak the same language, and if he goes further and chooses confrontation, then we do not care, but he will think a thousand times before making this choice."[/size]
[size=45]About: Middle East Eye[/size]
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