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| Iraq |
| Mashhadani resigns amid crisis |
| 2008-12-24 |
| Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmoud Mashhadani said on Tuesday that he will resign, clearing the way for lawmakers to consider a measure allowing British and other foreign troops to stay in Iraq after Dec. 31. "I announce that I'm resigning from my position as parliament speaker in the interests of the people," Mashhadani said in a speech to MPs. Shiite and Kurdish lawmakers called for the resignation of Mashhadani, a Sunni Arab physician who became speaker in 2006, after he insulted deputies in a session last week. "We hope that this event will not mark a deterioration in the political situation or a continuation of power-sharing based on sectarianism," said deputy Usama al-Nujaifi. The controversy over Mashhadani has bogged down a vote on a proposal that would allow 4,100 British troops, along with troops from Australia, El Salvador, Romania and Estonia and NATO to remain in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires on Dec. 31. It was not immediately clear who would replace Mashhadani. |
| Posted by:Fred |