Disputes Continue Over Key Iraqi Security Positions

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Hakim Al-Zamili


Radio Sawa (Baghdad) — Hakim Al-Zamili, spokesperson for the Liberal Bloc, denied that any political deal occurred to appoint a candidate to the Minister of Interior position. This denial comes after many local Iraqi media outlets reported that the Liberal Block, which represents the Sadrist Trend, and the State of Law Coalition reached an agreement to fill the position.

Al-Zamili criticized the delay in appointing ministers to the security ministries, which include the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense, and called on Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki to choose one of the Iraqiya List’s candidates for Minister of Defense. Al-Zamili pointed to political disputes between the State of Law Coalition and the Iraqiya List as reasons that the Minister of Defense and Minister of Interior positions are still empty.

Source:

http://www.radiosawa.com/iraq/arabic_news.aspx?id=3376909&cid=24

(Reliability: 8.5)

Comment: The 2010 parliamentary elections left the Iraqi government in a power deadlock between the State of Law Coalition, National Iraqi Alliance, and the Iraqi National Movement, better known as the Iraqiya List. These political blocs struggled to put together a coalition government, but after an almost 10 month struggle, came to an agreement on 21 December 2010 in which 29 ministers were approved, but left Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki as acting Minister of Defense, Minister of Interior, and Ministry of State for National Security until suitable candidates for these positions were found. Now, almost 10 months after the coalition government was formed, suitable candidates have still not been appointed. Disputes between the major political blocs have prevented any names from being approved. This deadlock, as well as other political issues, has caused Prime Minister Al-Maliki and President Jalal Talibani to call a meeting between the leaders of all major political blocs and parties which will occur 04 October 2011.

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