al-Maliki Archives

Iraq’s al-Maliki ‘Reaffirms’ Saudi Arabia Will Be Destroyed

January 2, 2016 by administrator

Iraqi political leader Nouri al-Maliki said that the execution of a Shia Cleric would topple Saudi Arabia’s rulers.

Iraq’s former prime minister and head of the Islamic Dawa Party Nouri al-Maliki condemned Saudi Arabia’s execution of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, pledging that the act would bring down the Saudi rulers.

In his condemnation, al-Maliki himself used sectarian language, referring to the execution of Shiite cleric Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr, founder of the Dawa Party. Al-Sadr was executed by Saddam Hussein’s Sunni-dominated government in 1980, five months before the beginning of the notoriously destructive Iran-Iraq War.

“As we condemn this disgusting terrorist act and these detestable sectarian practices, we reaffirm that the crime of executing Sheikh al-Nimr will topple the Saudi regime, just as the crime of executing the martyr al-Sadr toppled the Saddam regime,” al-Maliki said.

As Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, the toppling of its rulers as suggested by al-Maliki would also mean the destruction of the Kingdom in its present state.

Al-Maliki currently holds several positions in Iraq’s divided government, including a Vice Presidency. Much of the military power is shared between the military and Shiite militias. The overthrow of Saddam Hussein following the 2003 US invasion of Iraq led to a Shiite domination Iraq’s politics and a two-year sectarian civil war with the Sunni faction amid a larger anti-US insurgency.

Iraq’s military and militias recently forced ISIL (Daesh) out of the key town of Ramadi in the country’s west.

Daesh is a terrorist group affiliated with Wahhabism, a radical branch of Sunni Islam which originated from an alliance between cleric Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and village chief Muhammad bin Saud in the 18th century. The alliance led to the creation of the Emirate of Diriyah, the predecessor of Saudi Arabia, and the founding of the al-Saud dynasty.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Agrees to Relinquish Power

August 14, 2014 by administrator

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki on Thursday night said he agreed to relinquish power, state television reported, a move that came after days of crisis in which Mr. Maliki’s deployment of extra security forces around the capital raised worries of a military coup. report NYT
While the country is not at peace, Mr. Maliki’s decision, nonetheless, appeared to pave the way for the first truly peaceful transition of power, based on democratic elections and without the guiding hand of American military forces, in modern Iraq’s history.
In stepping aside Mr. Maliki agreed to end his legal challenge to the nomination of his replacement, which was made on Monday when Iraq’s president nominated Haider al-Abadi, a member of Mr. Maliki’s own Shiite Islamist Dawa Party.
Mr. Maliki’s decision came after days of negotiations with his former Shiite allies, who urged Mr. Maliki to give up in the face of growing international opposition to his rule, including from the United States and Iran, and the sense among most Iraqi leaders that his removal was necessary to bring the country together in the face of an onslaught by Sunni militants with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Mr. Abadi, according to the constitution, has 30 days from the time of his appointment – which was Monday – to form a new government. During that time, Mr. Maliki remains the caretaker prime minister, and the commander-in-chief of the military.

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Iraq’s alliance nominates al-Maliki for prime minister

May 23, 2014 by administrator

Iraq’s State of Law Coalition has officially named incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as its only candidate for premiership.

The coalition says it is ready to negotiate with all political parties in Iraq over its choice for prime minister. Reports say all the members of the coalition have voted for al-Maliki.

The alliance won 92 seats in Iraq’s recent parliamentary elections.

State of Law Coalition, however, fell short of an overall majority. This means that Maliki’s chances for a new term are high, but he requires approaching other groups in order to secure a broader majority coalition inside parliament.

Al-Maliki needs the support of smaller parties such as those of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, and Kurdish regional President Massud Barzani.

The announced results could still be challenged or change before they are finally certified by Iraq’s Supreme Court.

The formation of the Iraqi government is anticipated to take months as the president and the speaker of parliament should be also selected.

Under a de facto agreement among communities in Iraq, the prime minister is a Shia Arab, the president a Kurd and the parliament speaker a Sunni Arab.

The vote came amid a surge in violence that has reportedly left more than 3,500 people dead this year.

Maliki has said Saudi Arabia and Qatar are responsible for the security crisis and growing terrorism in his country.