"Iraq’s leader sets broad coalition as vote season dawns" by Steven Lee Myers, New York Times | October 2, 2009
BAGHDAD - Few of those who joined Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, however, are truly national leaders likely to lure major blocs of votes. The coalition did recruit several current ministers and government officials and peeled away several politicians previously allied with Ayad Allawi, who served as interim prime minister for a year after the initial American invasion and occupation....
Initial occupation? What, we on our second or third? Hasn't it been ONE LONG OCCUPATION?
Pffft!
Yeah, so Maliki picked up the endorsement of a hated AmeriKan stooge, big deal!
Maliki’s main rival will be the Iraqi National Alliance, formed by two of the largest Shi’ite parties: the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, led by Ammar al-Hakim, and the Sadrists, followers of the cleric and militia leader Moqtada al-Sadr, whose supporters have sought to recast his movement as a purely political and social one.
Which means Maliki should have his ass handed to him in a fair election.
Related: Occupation Iraq: Shi'ite Split
The main Kurdish parties in northern Iraq are expected to form their own alliance, while other Sunni parties, which are badly splintered, are jockeying to form coalitions....
Well, we know about Kurdistan:
Maliki, often accused by his critics of amassing too much power, pledged to root out corruption and partisan influence in the security forces, to promote human rights, and to expand of the role of women in politics, governance, and society.
Women had rights under Saddam; now they don't.
See: Occupation Iraq: Resurrecting Saddam Hussein
Meet the new boss, WORSE than the OLD BOSS, 'eh, Iraqis?
He also vowed that the last American troops would leave by the end of 2011, as scheduled.
Talk is cheap. Politicians lie all the time, see?
--more--"
Related: Occupation Iraq: Hell on Earth
