With this power vaccum now being created in Iraw, it is a very likely scenario that ISIS, IS, or ISIL (Whatever one wants to call it) will fill this very quickly. They have not stopped with their murders and conquest and will not end until they are destroyed by the Holy God of Israel. Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki agrees to step down Jim Michaels, USA TODAY 2:43 p.m. EDT August 17, 2014 BAGHDAD — Embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced Thursday night that he is stepping down, ending a political crisis at a time when Islamist militants have seized large swaths of the country and remain on the offensive. The Obama administration has blamed al-Maliki and his Shiite-dominated government for sparking much of the sectarian strife that has gripped his country, as minority Sunnis have felt alienated and have sympathized with armed Sunni extremists calling themselves the Islamic State. USATODAY Iraq conflict: What you need to know Al-Maliki made the announcement in an impassioned televised speech to a nation he has led for eight tumultuous years in the wake of the 2003 U.S.-invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein. He had been under intense pressure from within his own party, other Iraqis, neighbors in the region and the U.S. government to step down. President Obamas national security adviser, Susan Rice, praised al-Maliki for stepping down and said she hopes the change in leaders can set Iraq on a new path and unite its people against the Islamic State militants. USATODAY Pentagon: Iraqi refugees likely wont need rescue In his speech, al-Maliki thanked the Iraqi people for electing him to office twice. He referred to guiding the country during the countrys democratic experiment when it emerged from decades of international isolation. Standing alongside fellow Dawa Party member, Haider al-Abadi, his designated successor, al-Maliki said he was stepping aside in favor of his brother so he could facilitate the political process and government formation. Al-Maliki, 64, said the decision to back al-Abadi reflected his desire to safeguard the high interests of the country, adding that he would not be the cause of any bloodshed. My post is your confidence in me, he declared. Iraqi President Fouad Massoum, who took office last month, nominated al-Abadi on Monday as the new prime minister, a selection that was endorsed by the Obama administration and allies in the region. But al-Maliki had refused to step aside and threatened to file a court challenge, calling the procedure for choosing his successor unconstitutional. His refusal to leave office led to a tense political standoff during the past week and fears he would stage a military coup in a country whose history has been shaped by a succession of bloody political transitions. Al-Malikis decision to back al-Abadi, who has 30 days to form a new government, will help clear the way for increased U.S. aid. We are prepared to consider additional political, economic, and security options as Iraq starts to build a new government, Secretary of State John Kerry said this week.
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 00:43:26 +0000
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