Iraqi PM announces new coalition

[demoleft]

Source: Al Jazeera

Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, has announced a new alliance of moderate Shias and Kurds, saying Sunni moderates have refused to join.

He says the door remains open to them and that the agreement was the first step to unblocking political stagnation that has gripped his Shia-led government since it first took power in May 2006.

Jalal Talabani, Iraq's president, and al-Maliki were flanked by Massoud Barzani, the leader of the northern autonomous Kurdish region and Adel Abdul-Mahdi, the Shia vice-president as the announcement was made.

The four men signed a three-page agreement that they said would ensure them a majority in the 275-member parliament and allow the passing of critical US-demanded legislation.



Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/174CAC38-D216-4A6B-B3BA-6D0B84E0F2D7.htm

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I got it in today news in Al Jazeera. So I hope I didn't duplicate.
In the latter case I'm sorry in advance.

[rodeodance]

1. Look for Bush to say this is part of PROGRESS in his sept 15 report

[demoleft]

4. Of course he will. "Order reigns in Baghdad" will be the title... n/t

[jefferson_dem]

2. So this new so-called "coalition" doesn't include the Sunnis?

Nice.

[acmavm]

3. I think this is the coalition they always wanted. No Sunnis allowed.

[bemildred]

5. Yep.

It's worse than that, it's the US and the Sunni now against the stooge government. Al Sadr is likely to take the nationalist side in this too. I'm getting really confused.

[Kagemusha]

6. Oh they're still allowed, if they obey.

If not, well, to hell with them. That's the thinking. It's not like the coalition was providing the Sunnis with anything but paper jobs that made their constituents angry.

[gratuitous]

7. "Allow the passing of critical US-demanded legislation"

Let freedom reign, Bush style.

[Tempest]

8. Any legislation passed without the participation of the Sunnis

Won't be worth the paper it's written on.

One step closer to an all-out civil war.

[Teaser]

9. Since when are Dawa and SCIRI "moderate" shi'ah?

huh?