« Will wikis replace commercial collaboration software? | Main | What will Moqtada Al-Sadr do now? »
December 10, 2004
Prime Minister Al-Hakim?
They haven't even had an election yet, but they are already putting our own American smoke-filled backroom politicians to shame.
Dec. 9 - The much-anticipated Shiite list of candidates for the forthcoming elections in Iraq was presented today—in partial anonymity and peculiar secrecy. This is the slate of candidates who will almost certainly win elections if they take place on schedule next Jan. 30. And in a few days it will have to begin campaigning.The grouping of 228 candidates, a coalition running together as the newly formed United Iraqi Alliance, today formally filed for a place on the ballot at the Baghdad offices of the Independent Elections Commission for Iraq and then held a press conference at which representatives of the group refused to reveal the names of those on their list, or even who was at its head. A media spokesman for the IECI also refused to reveal the contents of the Shiite list. The head of the elections commission, Adel Hindawi, reached by telephone, said, "I haven't seen the list, and I don't know anything about it."
The United Iraqi Alliance list will presumably eventually become public, when the Dec. 15 deadline for candidates to file passes and campaigning begins—assuming that candidates do not contemplate campaigning in secrecy. The secrecy is apparently motivated by security concerns for some of those on the list, and by horse-trading still going on among members of the coalition over what positions they'll get in the new government. Some of the names on the list have come out, but the most stunning thing about it is who is left out: notably, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and his Iraqi National Accord party. This makes it almost impossible for Allawi to be re-elected prime minister, and could even mean he would not win a seat in the National Assembly.
In typical Washington - I mean Baghdad - fashion, the secret does however appear to have gotten out:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) A cleric with links to Iran leads the candidate list of a powerful coalition of Iraq's mainstream Shiite Muslim groups for next month's election, an aide said Friday. The list also includes former Pentagon favorite Ahmad Chalabi and some followers of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim the head of Iraq's largest Shiite party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution would stand to take a central position in the assembly that will create Iraq's next government and constitution, if the coalition takes most of the parliament seats in the Jan. 30 vote.
Al-Hakim has already started padding his foreign policy resume, too:
General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, received Chairman of the Iraqi Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution and Member of the Iraqi National Council Abdul Aziz Al Hakim at Al Bateen Palace in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.They discussed developments in Iraq and the role being played by Iraqi forces and other organisations to create a conducive atmosphere for the general elections.
Gen. Shaikh mohammed reiterated the UAE’s support to the Iraqi people in their efforts to build a new Iraq that enjoys peace, security, stability and unity. He said iraq is currently going through a delicate but crucial situation which needs the concerted efforts of all its loyal sons and daughters, in addition to the support of the international community to assist in the establishment of a system that will satisfy all Iraqi people, help them achieve their ambitions and aspirations and enable the country regain its proper place at the Arab and international levels.
Hakim praised the UAE for its continuous support for Iraq, which, he said, has significant impact in alleviating the sufferings of the Iraqi people.
He said the UAE, under the wise leadership of the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, did not relent any effort to ensure peace and stability in Iraq and to alleviate the sufferings of the Iraqi people. He expressed confidence that the country, under the leadership of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will continue on the path of Shaikh Zayed in supporting Iraq and assisting the Iraqi people to achieve peace, security and stability for their country to enable it play its role in joint Arab cause.
No word yet if he has made any early visits to Iowa or New Hampshire.
Posted by Mike at December 10, 2004 01:00 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.topdog08.com/cgi-bin/mt-trackback.cgi/561
Comments
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)