Secular and tough-minded, Ayad Allawi seems the perfect U.S. choice to run Iraq's security forces. But many fellow Shiites have never forgiven Allawi for decisions taken when he was prime minister and seem ready to fight to keep him on the political sidelines. "Allawi taking any of the key Cabinet jobs is not just a red line for us," said Bahaa al-Aaraji, a Shiite politician. "It's a red line painted with blood."What to do with Allawi is among several contentious issues as Iraqis begin talks on forming a new government. That process will accelerate after the election commission Friday certified results of the Dec. 15 parliament balloting.
U.S. officials would clearly like to see Allawi, a former physician with longtime ties to the CIA, play a major role in the new government. A secular Shiite with Sunni allies, Allawi would appear well-suited to run the Interior Ministry. But Shiite officials have insisted that they should retain control of the ministry, whose special commandoes have allegedly abused Sunni Arab civilians in the fight against the insurgents. The Shiite alliance won 128 of parliament's 275 seats, making them the strongest bloc. Allawi's ticket, which included several prominent Sunni Arabs, took only 25 seats.
Ahmad Chalabi, the present government's deputy prime minister, did not even win a seat, according to certified results released Friday.
Both American and United Nations officials have said the ministry, which controls the police, should be given to someone not closely identified with sectarian parties. The current minister, Bayan Jabr, is a member of the biggest Shiite party and is a former official of a Shiite militia.
Two Shiite officials, who attended a recent meeting between top Shiite politician Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim and U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, said the Americans have repeatedly asked the Shiite leadership about plans for Allawi. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of the meeting. One of them said the Americans never demanded that Allawi be included but have showed they want him in the cabinet.
Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani floated a proposal to create an advisory council including Allawi, Chalabi and other prominent figures to make policy recommendations, thereby giving both former American-backed politicians an influential role. The proposal was shelved because of strong opposition to giving the council executive power.
Opposition to Allawi is widespread within the Shiite alliance, which includes three major parties. Two of them -- Dawa and the movement led by the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr -- are strongly opposed to Allawi. Al-Sadr has never forgiven Allawi for allowing U.S. troops to attack his militia in the Shiite holy city of Najaf in 2004. Dawa also opposes Allawi's secular orientation. Those groups want to deny Allawi and his followers any of the major posts: foreign affairs, defense, interior, oil, finance and planning.
Allawi was chosen by the Americans to head the interim government which ran the country from June 2004 and until last April. After the January 2005 elections, Allawi said he would accept nothing but a top Cabinet post. He did not get one and did not serve in the outgoing Cabinet.
This time, he is clearly angling for another top job. "All parties, inside and outside Iraq, are demanding that I take part in the government," he said in an interview aired Feb. 7 by Iraqi state television.
Shiite politicians point to Allawi's modest showing in the last election, saying he cannot justify a top post. "Only Allawi's 25 seats will decide what job he gets," said one Shiite official, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to influence coalition talks. "After the January 2005 election, he wanted a top job or nothing. He ended up with nothing. It may just happen again."