Iraq president says he will not seek re-election

[sabra]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-12-13T072215Z_01_FOR326519_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-ELECTION-TALABANI.xml

Iraq president says he will not seek re-election

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani will not seek re-election after Thursday's parliamentary election because the new constitution has curbed his powers, his office said on Tuesday.

"This position does not tempt me," Talabani told state broadcaster al-Iraqiya on Monday in comments later issued by his office. "I would not nominate myself given the powers the president now has under the new constitution. He has no power to participate in the running of the state.

"I wouldn't want to be a president of protocol."

Talabani, leader of one of Iraq's two main Kurdish parties, became president after the January 30 election for an interim assembly. Since then, Iraq has drafted and approved a new constitution which he says waters down his role.

[Nothing Without Hope]

1. The president is also going to be a target for assassination and is going

to have an impossible task trying to put Iraq back together and calm the opposing factions. In that very hot seat, I don't see how a president could please ANY side, and displeasure would likely be expressed with guns or a bomb.

According to the London Times, the US and UK are going to start pulling out troops early next year, possibly in March. See this thread, just posted in LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1983014
thread title (12/13 LBN): London Times: Iraq troop pull-out to begin in months (not what Bush said!)

I would think that would further undermine the current president's safety if he chose to run for re-election.

[ECH1969]

2. Talabani lives in Kurdistan he has nothing to worry about

Except the nearby countries that don't very much like the Kurds.

[enigma000]

3. A Sunni Arab should have the job next

It would be a high profile position that would encourage the Sunni to see the Iraqi government as their government. Plus a Sunni Arab as the Head of State might improve Iraqi's relationship with the Arab World

[ECH1969]

4. It depends if the UIA wins or not

If Allawi becomes PM then it won't matter and they should have a member of the UIA.

If the UIA wins the PM position then they need a Sunni as president