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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Chalabi and the Iraqi elections |
| 2004-11-22 |
| Most of the article discusses the INC's latest runin with the Iraqi authorities, but the interesting bit is this: Since June, Mr. Chalabi has formed the Shiite Political Council, a coalition of largely religious parties that includes the party of Muqtada al-Sadr. The Shiite political bloc intends to run a slate of candidates in elections scheduled for January and has already received the blessings of the foremost religious authority for the Shiites, Ayatollah al-Sistani. Because Shiites make up approximately two-thirds of the Iraqi population, Mr. Chalabi's political bloc is seen as the prohibitive favorite for the elections. Looks like his early self-rebranding as a Shia leader may have worked out. Mr. Chalabi met this weekend with Sunni and Kurdish political leaders in northern Iraq to discuss the elections, which are being boycotted for now by the largest Sunni parties. "Please, don't vote. Then we can write the consitution to screw you all royally." Mr.Chalabi told those assembled, "To say all Sunnis are Baathists is not fair, to say that the only way to rule Iraq is for the Sunnis to be on top is not going to happen either, to say that every Sunni wants to be outside the political process is also wrong. If you claim security is bad and that's why we should postpone the elections, why don't you focus on what will happen if you don't have elections? Remember, we have been fighting for elections for more than a decade." Remarkably enlightened, all considered. Iraq's transitional assembly yesterday voted to postpone the Iraqi election until January 30. |
| Posted by:someone |
| #1 What bothers me is the dots. We know Sadr had connections to Iran. There were claims Chalabi had connections to Iran. Now Sadr and Chalabi are part of the same coalition? I'm sure Chalabi needs all the numbers he can get to beet out Sistani (or whomever Sistani puts up) but linking with Sadr seems an unwise political move. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2004-11-22 10:53:25 AM |