Iraq: US Challenging Deal for New Government? (Dagher)

Last Friday, news emerged of a possible agreement amongst most Iraqi Shi'a parties, including that of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, for a national government in Baghdad, seven months after Iraq's elections. Under the arrangement, Nuri al-Maliki would continue as Prime Minister.

Not so fast, at least for the US Ambassador to Baghdad. Six years ago, Washington entered into a war with Sadr and his forces, even seeking the cleric's assassination. Looks like those animosities may not have eased enough for American acceptance of a confirmed government for Iraq, especially when the "Iran" spectre is invoked.

Sam Dagher reports for the Wall Street Journal:

The U.S. ambassador to Iraq said any significant government role for radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's movement could affect Washington's ability to maintain a strategic partnership with Baghdad.

The Iran-based Mr. Sadr gave his backing last week to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for a second-term in office, bringing Mr. Maliki much closer to the parliamentary majority needed to form the next government, following inconclusive March polls.

Mr. Sadr's political movement fared well in that election, winning 40 of the 325 parliamentary seats in contention. During a separate news conference Tuesday, Mr. Maliki said Mr. Sadr had a right to be in the next government, though he downplayed any significant role for the radical cleric.

Mr. Sadr and members of his political movement say they are linked to a militia that the U.S. accuses, among other things, of being behind a recent Iran-backed surge of rocket attacks against American installations in Iraq—including the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

"There is not clarity on whether the Sadrist movement is a political movement or it is an armed militia, which carries out political objectives through violent means, and a democracy cannot tolerate that," said Ambassador James F. Jeffrey during a news conference in Baghdad with visiting Undersecretary of Commerce Francisco Sanchez. "We would urge our Iraqi friends to be cautious in the kind of positions that they leave open to anyone who has not made clear their position," Mr. Jeffrey said.

Mr. Jeffrey described the Sadrists, as members of Mr. Sadr's movement are known, and similar groups as "a problematic partner for a democratic process."

U.S. agreements with Iraq that laid out the withdrawal of combat troops and a longterm role in the country include plans for military, strategic, political, economic and cultural cooperation. However, Mr. Jeffrey said, "if a coalition contains elements that do not want a relationship with us, that impacts on the Iraqi side how they respond to our offers."

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