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Turf battles in Iraq delay government's
formation
22.2.2006
By Dan Murphy
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BAGHDAD - They've
met daily for weeks, made noises about creating a
coalition government designed to reduce sectarian
distrust, and even been threatened by the US with
withholding of aid.
Even so, Iraqi politicians are no closer to
compromise or agreement on a government than they
were when parliamentary elections were held more
than two months ago.
For now, this leaves a lame-duck government in
place. The US is pressing hard - particularly to
limit the rising influence of Shiite political
parties with ties to Iran. But Iraq's ethnic and
sectarian factions seem to be digging in over
mutually exclusive positions, even as their rhetoric
against their opponents intensifies.
"We would work with anyone committed to the unity of
Iraq, the stability of Iraq, and the freedom of
Iraq,'' says Saleh Mutlaq, a leader of the Sunni
Arab coalition that won 20 percent of the
parliamentary seats. "The problem is, not everyone
in the parliament agrees to these principles."
Mr. Mutlaq, who says the Dec. 15 election was rigged
against Sunni Arabs by the current Shiite-led
government and wants the constitution scrapped, said
negotiations have convinced him that "forming a
government soon is not a real possibility."
Iraq's Shiite parties won 47 percent of seats, while
two large Sunni Arab groups took 20 percent. The
Kurdish coalition took 19 percent and a secular
party led by US favorite Iyad Allawi won 9 percent.
While the Shiites would seem to be in the driver's
seat, and have nominated current Prime Minister
Ibrahim al-Jaafari to remain, he is unpopular with
the US because of his Islamist politics and ties to
Iran.
US officials have mooted the possibility that a
coalition of secular politicians led by Mr. Allawi
could be formed to deny the Shiites control, perhaps
by exploiting splits within the Shiite coalition.
But Mutlaq and other Sunni leaders make it clear
that while they don't trust the Shiites, whom they
blame for targeted sectarian killings, they have
little in common with the Kurds, who favor
independence and are interested in control of the
oil-rich city of Kirkuk.
"The Kurds are simply trying to play all sides
against each other to get the most for themselves,''
says Mutlaq. "They are only powerful because of
American support."
Monday, US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad issued an
unusually blunt warning to leaders. "The fundamental
problem in Iraq is one of sectarianism and ethnic
conflict,'' he said, calling for a government that
includes all factions. He added that if security
ministries such as defense andinterior go to those
the US deems "sectarian," hundreds of millions in
funds for building the police and military will be
cut off.
This was widely interpreted by Iraqi politicians as
a slap at the Shiites, particularly Interior
Minister Bayan Jabr, whose police and paramilitary
forces have tortured and murdered Sunni Arabs.
Earlier this month, the US military said it had
arrested a number of Interior Ministry employees who
were running a death squad in Baghdad. Mr. Jabr is a
former senior leader of the Badr Brigade, an
Iranian-trained militia close to the Supreme Council
for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), one of
the two main parties in the Shiite coalition. Sunni
leaders like Adnan al-Dulaimi have said continued
Shiite control of the ministry will keep them from
joining the government.
But the Shiites want control of these ministries,
particularly Interior, and say the results of the
election entitle them to this.
Jalaluddin al-Sagheer, a senior leader of SCIRI,
says control of the ministry is crucial for the
Shiites. He also echoes the view of Shiite
politicians that the US is tilting toward the
Sunnis, who dominated leadership under Saddam
Hussein.
"The most sectarian person I've ever seen is the
American ambassador," says Sagheer. "He's not
talking like a diplomat, but as someone here to
pressure us and help other political parties. Why
are they submitting to the demands of terrorists?"
Many Iraqis fear the delays will hurt security as
well as basics like fuel and electricity, which
languish below prewar levels.
"While the politicians are looking out for their
interests, no one is looking out for ours,'' says
Emad Hassan, a Shiite shopkeeper. "When are they
going to focus on keeping the lights on?"
www.csmonitor.com
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