Sunday, December 22, 2019

Iraq's do-nothing government still does . . . nothing

In Iraq, protests continue.


 10 hours ago
Iraqi anger is spreading. Roads and bridges closed in several cities and chants calling for the overthrow of the Presidents of the parliament
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  1.  5 minutes ago
    Iraq protests: Thousands rally ahead of naming of interim prime minister
     
     



WFMZ notes that the death toll continues to increase.  As Iraqis continue to risk their lives for a better country, their government remains inert.  ALJAZEERA reports:

Sunday marks the latest deadline - already pushed back twice by President Barham Salih - for Parliament to choose a new prime minister to replace Adel Abdul Mahdi, who tendered his administration's resignation last month.
Officials say neighbour Iran, a key player in Iraqi politics, wants to install Qusay al-Suhail, who served as education minister in the previous government.
But protesters categorically reject his candidacy, along with anyone from the wider political establishment which has been in place since Saddam Hussein was deposed in 2003.
Protesters are demanding the fall of President Saleh and Parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbussi, accusing them of procrastinating.


Mohammed Rwanduzy (RUDAW) adds:                                                                           

 Iraq’s parliament has been dominated by two blocs since parliamentary elections in May 2018. Both are dominated by Shiite parties, but also contain smaller, Sunni allies.
The Bina Coalition is composed of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition, the Iran-backed Fatih Coalition, and the Sunni National Axis Alliance, among others.
Rivalling Bina is the Islah Coalition, led by firebrand Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s Nasr Coalition is part of Islah.
Article 76 of Iraq’s constitution grants the biggest bloc in parliament the right to nominate a prime ministerial candidate. President Salih wrote to the Supreme Federal Court on Thursday to determine which parliamentary bloc is biggest. 
The court did not name a bloc in its response.
“The concept of the biggest parliamentary bloc ,mentioned in Article 76 of the Constitution denotes either the bloc that formed via one electoral list following elections, or the bloc that gets formed from two or more electoral lists following elections, entered the Parliament, and its seats became bigger than the rest of the blocs following gentry to the Parliament and its members swearing the oath in the first session,” the Court explained.
Salih then sent an official letter to Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi for an answer. His letter was published by state media outlet al-Iraqiya on Sunday.


Meanwhile Sarah Jessica Parker's limp-noodle f**k buddy David Remnick thought he could lecture the world this weekend only to discover that his past as an Iraq War cheerleader is not now -- and never will be -- forgotten.  Only vapid idiots -- like SJP -- are fooled by you, David.



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