 Former Washington insider and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi launched his election campaign Wednesday with a call for a national-unity government to take office after a general election slated for Dec. 15. Flanked by two scantily-clad female candidates running on his electoral ticket, Chalabi said his newly formed alliance wanted to step up the fight against corruption and terrorism. He also reasserted his loyalty to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's most respected Shiite cleric, whose edicts, or fatwas, are binding for most of Iraq's majority Shiites. "We want to see a national-unity government for the sake of stability," Chalabi said.
Chalabi's electoral alliance comprises his own party — the National Iraqi Congress — in addition to a group that supports the restoration of the monarchy and small Kurdish and Turkomen groups. |