Saturday, May 19, 2012

Moqtada speaks (finally)

For two days it has been a wait on Moqtada al-Sadr.  Al Mada reports that today he held a news conference at his Najaf home where he announced a meeting had concluded and that the purpose was to put the final touches on what was agreeg to at the April 28th Erbil meet-up.  He declared that the moves they are taking will strengthen the country and end the suffering of the Iraqi people.  Al Rafidayn reports that others at the meet-up included Iraqiya, the Kurdistan Alliance and some members of the National Alliance.  That last one may be surprising to a few since some elements of the National Alliance -- especially the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq -- have seemed to roadblock efforts since the April 28th meeting.  One thing to remember, though, is the National Alliance wants to hold on to the post of prime minister.  If Nouri al-Maliki might be replaced (via a no confidence vote), the National Alliance needs to be participating to hold onto the post.

"There is no difference from Najaf to Erbil" appears to be the the rallying cry.  Both articles note that Moqtada al-Sadr declared that at the conference.  It states that they are on the same page regarding what is needed -- a return to the Erbil Agreement and Moqtada's 18-point plan -- but it also refutes the efforts of State of Law in the press to repeatedly portray the Kurdistan Regional Government's inhabitants as 'less than real' Iraqis.

Alsumaria reports that Iraqiya notes that the final choice for a prime minister replacement is still being nailed down and they add that nailing down the replacement does not mean that they have to go forward with a no-confidence vote.  There is still time for Nouri to meet the demands (implement the Erbil Agreement he signed off on and Moqtada's 18-point test).  Moqtada al-Sadr also notes that the no-confidence vote would be a last step and one Nouri can prevent at present.

MP Husein al-Asadi is with Nouri's State of Law and does his part today in the continued demonstration of just how ignorant State of Law is.  Alsumaria reports he says these meetings (Erbil and Najaf) are only to put pressure on Nouri.  Yeah, that's what they've said all along.  al-Asadi hasn't 'discovered' anything. To further flash the stupidity, he insists that a no-confidence vote is outlined in the Constitution and that this is  not a political process and can't be achieved through a bunch of meet ups.

The Constitution does outline the no-confidence vote.  It outlines the political process for the no-confidence vote.  When Parliament has the power for something, that's a political process by its very nature and Parliament has the power to do the no-confidence vote.  In addition, these meet-ups are necessary to move towards calling a no-confidence vote.  Whether they result in one or not, you do meet-up to discuss this before it's introduced.  In the US, they do the same with impeachment.




Alsumaria reports a bicycle was discovered in Mosul and detonated by security officers.  Iraq Body Count reports that ten people were killed in Baghdad yesterday (bombings and shootings) and that 126 have died in violence so far this month.




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