Iraqi PM to file complaint against new president

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By SAMEER N. YACOUB and VIVIAN SALAMA

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, in a surprise speech late Sunday, resisted calls for his resignation and accused the country's new president of violating the constitution, plunging the government into a political crisis at a time it is battling advances by Islamic State militants.

Al-Maliki is seeking a third-term as prime minister, but the latest crisis has prompted even his closest allies to call for his resignation. A parliament session scheduled for Monday to discuss the election and who might lead the next Iraqi government was postponed until Aug. 19.

On Sunday night, in a nationally televised speech, al-Maliki declared he will file a legal complaint against the new president, Fouad Massoum, for committing "a clear constitutional violation."

Al-Maliki, whose Shiite-dominated bloc won the most seats in April elections, accused Massoum of neglecting to name a prime minister from the country's largest parliamentary faction by Sunday's deadline. He said the president has violated the constitution "for the sake of political goals."

FULL story at link.



Iraqi lawmakers attend a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140810/ml--iraq-3ad721d3a3.html

[bemildred]

1. US 'supports Iraqi president as constitution guarantor'

The US fully supports President Fouad Massoum as guarantor of the Iraqi constitution, a state department spokesperson has said.

According to Reuters, the state department said in a statement that it rejected any coercion or manipulation of the Iraqi constitution after Prime Minister Nour Al-Maliki accused him of violating it.

It added that the US was closely monitoring the situation in Iraq, and is in touch with the country's leaders, amid violence in the region.

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-08-11/us-supports-iraqi-president-as-constitution-guarantor/

[The Magistrate]

3. Maliki Might Actually Have A Case, Sir

Depends on what 'largest bloc' is taken to mean. The President is supposed to invite the chief of the 'largest bloc' to form the government. Maliki's party has the most seats, but is well short of a majority on its own. If the rest informally unite on an 'anyone but Maliki' basis, which seems to be what our government, and also A. al'Sistani, want to see done, then which is the 'largest bloc' --- Maliki with his greatest number of seats among individual parties, or the majority formed by everyone who for whatever reason figure he must go?

[bemildred]

4. Yes, it seemed so to me too, Sir.

Not the most opportune time for such a dispute though. He seems to have been remarkably ill-chosen for the job he holds. Assuming one wants to see a united Iraq.

[Iliyah]

2. al-Maliki must have conferred with Boner and the GOP party.

[bemildred]

5. Iraqi Shi'ite coalition close to nominating prime minister

(Reuters) - A bloc comprising Iraq's biggest Shi'ite parties is close to nominating a prime minister, the deputy speaker of parliament said on Monday, directly challenging Nuri al-Maliki who has refused to give up his bid for a third term.

Haider al-Abadi's comments in a tweet came after police sources said special forces and Shi'ite militias loyal to Maliki had been deployed in strategic areas of Baghdad after he made a defiant speech on television suggesting he would not cave in to pressure to drop his bid for another term.

Abadi is one of the people that has been mentioned as a possible successor to Maliki. In his tweet Abadi said government forces were moving around the capital in anticipation of security breaches.

Maliki accused Iraq's Kurdish President Fouad Masoum of violating the constitution by missing a deadline for him to ask the biggest political bloc to nominate a prime minister and form a government.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/08/11/uk-iraq-security-idUKKBN0G70L620140811?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&rpc=401