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Iraqi Premier has No desire for Second
Term
3.1.2007
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January 3, 2007
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has made clear he
dislikes being the country's leader and would prefer
to leave the job before his term ends.
In an extensive interview with a US newspaper, Mr
Maliki said he would certainly not be seeking a
second term.
A compromise choice, his tenure has been plagued by
factional strife within both the country and
government, and rumours the US has no faith in him.
"I wish I could be done with it even before the end
of this term," he said.
"I didn't want to take this position," he told the
Wall Street Journal. "I only agreed because I
thought it would serve the national interest, and I
will not accept it again." |
Iraqi Prime minister Jawad al-Maliki
Photo:AP |
Undermined
Mr Maliki, a stalwart of the Shia movement which led
the resistance to Saddam Hussein, was sworn in as
prime minister in May after Sunni and Kurd parties
rejected the Shia alliance's first nominee.
It followed four months of political deadlock.
He has since been undermined by sectarian tensions
within his majority Shia alliance, as well as
opposition from Sunni Arabs politicians who say he
has not done enough to dismantle Shia militias.
Late last year the New York Times published a memo
from the White House national security adviser which
contained a withering analysis of his leadership.
It described him as "a leader who wanted to be
strong but was having difficulty figuring out how to
do so" although President George W Bush has
subsequently stated that Mr Maliki has his full
backing.
Mr Maliki has however made his own impatience with
Washington clear, accusing the US of failing to
provide adequate equipment and training to Iraqi
forces.
He repeated his criticism in the Wall Street
Journal, saying US-led forces and the Iraqi army
were too slow in responding to the insurgency.
"This gives the terrorists a chance to hit and run,"
he said. "What is happening in Iraq is a war of
gangs and a terrorist war. That is why it needs to
be confronted with a strong force and with fast
reaction."
Nonetheless, he told the paper he had faith that
peace would eventually be restored to Iraq.
"I have a strong hope. If I didn't have hope, I
wouldn't be here today."
BBC
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