Who is Nouri al-Maliki ?

[kentuck]

I don't know if the spelling is correct? But I was watching a clip of C-SPAN this AM with the Prime Minister of Iraq. I noticed in the interpretation that he used the word "Allah" quite a few times and he praised Ayatollah Sistani. My thought: Is Iraq closer to a theocracy than anyone cares to admit? And has this Administration simply surrendered to that fact? Is this just a temporary "surrender" until November's elections are over or is this a permanent turn of events?

[enigma000]

1. Prime Minister Nouri Maliki

Iraq's new Prime Minister Nouri Maliki - who is also sometimes called Jawad Maliki - is a stalwart of the Dawa party, the Shia political group that for years led an armed underground resistance to the secular Baathist leadership of Saddam Hussein.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4932468.stm

I think references to Allah is just part of the Arab syntax. Iraq is developing into a more Islamic society, but probably not to the degree Saudi Arabia is. As far as I know, there are no clerics in the new cabinet.

At this point, the Iraqi government is the Iraqi government. International pressure can be applied on certain issues but I think the world is limited on what it can do - even after the November elections.

[cliss]

2. An important point,

and the most important one: Mr. Al-Maliki is an ally of Muqtada Al-Sadr. This is the "Firebrand" (not my word, but Bush's) leader of Sadr City in Baghdad. He is the 2nd most important leader in Iraq. Of course, the #1 Mullah is Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani who is Iranian.

You can see where their loyalty lies.

Also, the previous leader was Al-Jaafari. He was also a friend of Al-Sadr. He was ousted because the US and Britain said, "He has to go". So they ousted him, and Al-Maliki took his place.

Hint = both of these men are very similar. They are friends. They were both recommended by Al-Sadr.

THIS is why I can't understand why Bush is so excited about Iraq "turning the corner", and Condi Rice & rumsfailed went over there, patting him on the back and gushing.

[enigma000]

3. more to do with Al-Jaafari being unable to form a government

The US and Britain know that the new Iraqi government has to have a good relationship with the Western World in order to provide economic growth. Al-Sadr could be PM and he would have to be cordial to the West as well. As for the rules of Iraqi civil society - that is of less concern for the Bush administration.