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Iraq Names New Prime Minister Who Praises ‘Bravery’ of Protesters


Adam Montana
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Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/01/world/middleeast/iraq-names-new-prime-minister-who-praises-bravery-of-protesters.html

 

 

Iraq Names New Prime Minister Who Praises ‘Bravery’ of Protesters

Anti-government demonstrations have been raging since October, demanding an end to political corruption.

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s president stepped in to appoint a new prime minister after the Parliament failed to do so for two months, leaving the country largely rudderless at a time of multiple political crises.

The premier, Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi, is hardly a new face — he is a former member of Parliament and former minister of communications. But he is not tarnished by the corruption allegations that dog many other Iraqi political figures.

In his first comments upon accepting the nomination, Mr. Allawi paid homage to the anti-government protesters who have been out on the streets since October and he promised to keep their demands front and center in his political program.

“I want to speak to the Iraqi people directly,” he said in a video. “I have decided to speak with you before speaking with anybody else because my power comes from you and without your sacrifices and bravery, there would have been no change in the country.”

 

Iraq has been sinking deeper into crisis since protests began that challenged the political order and then became increasingly violent. The previous prime minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, resigned but remained in a caretaker role increasingly unable to cope either with the uprising in the streets or with rising tension between the United States and Iran — both of which compete for influence in Iraq.

Those tensions came to a head with the American killing of both Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani and of the leader of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units — a Shiite militia force closely tied to Iran — who was with him. In response, the Iraqi Parliament demanded the departure of all American troops from Iraq.

 

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It is unclear whether the appointment of a new prime minister will calm the country or whether political parties and armed groups, many with ties to Iran, will continue to dominate the political scene.

 
 
 


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Credit...Prashant Rao/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The protests, which are demanding an end to corruption and more jobs, have only grown despite a violent crackdown by the Iraqi security forces. They began with demands for the resignation of the government and for new elections.

 

The Parliament largely avoided responding because reforms and new elections would likely mean that many established political groups would lose power. The country’s senior religious authorities have largely sided with the protesters in demanding change and their pressure led the prime minister to resign at the end of November.

 

Since then, neither the Parliament nor the president has been able to find a prime minister candidate on which both the Parliament and the protesters could agree.

The selection of Mr. Allawi is an effort to pick someone who has worked with a wide range of political parties and who is educated and secular as well as having the requisite Shiite Muslim background.

Since the toppling of Saddam Hussein, Iraq has had a political power sharing agreement whereby the prime minister comes from the country’s Shiite Muslim majority, the speaker of the parliament is from the Sunni Muslim minority and the president is of Kurdish ethnicity so that all three main ethnic and religious groups are represented.

Mr. Allawi was educated initially in Baghdad but then went to Beirut to completely his studies in architecture. He lived for years in London and was active in the Iraqi opposition. As a young man, he was drawn to the Dawa party many of whose members have close ties to Iran.

But after the toppling of Saddam Hussein, he began to align himself with his cousin, Iyad Allawi, who was the interim prime minister in 2004, and eventually joined Iraqiya, his cousin’s political party. It is a secular party that includes Sunni and Shiite Muslims as well as Christians and a number of women, but it has few seats in the Parliament compared to the religious parties.

Within minutes of his nomination, he got an endorsement from the powerful Shiite cleric and political leader Moktada al-Sadr, who controls the largest bloc in Parliament.

 

“Today will be remembered in the history of Iraq that the people chose their prime minister and not the political blocs,” Mr. Sadr tweeted on Saturday night.

“Today we hope from our brother, Mohammed Allawi, not to give into foreign and internal pressures and to announce his program and accelerate the holding of early elections and to endeavor to preserve the sovereignty of Iraq,” Mr. Sadr said.

Political analysts were more circumspect. They said Mr. Allawi, much like the current prime minister, lacks a political base and would find it difficult to withstand pressure from the Iraqi armed groups that are close to Iran, many of them part of the Popular Mobilization Units, a force nominally under the control of the Iraqi government.

“Yes, he is from a respected family, he is educated, but he is weak politically,” said Wafiq al- Hashimi, director of the Iraq Group for Strategic Studies, a think tank.

In Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the protests in the capital Baghdad, the reactions were mixed. Some said he was in the past government and so was not suitable. Others said they were open to anyone who could improve the situation.

 
 
 

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Credit...Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times

I don’t know Mohammed Allawi well so I cannot give an opinion about him,” said Jawad Hussein, 40, a construction worker who was in Tahrir Square protesting on Saturday. “I can only judge him or give my opinion after hearing his plan and program and understanding what will he do for the country.”


In what appeared to be a gesture of respect for the protesters’ efforts, Mr. Allawi said: “You have tolerated a lot and were patient for a long time, but I believe in you and therefore I will ask from you to continue with the demonstrations because if you are not with me, then I will be alone and not able to do anything.”

He added that he would look to the protesters to keep him honest.

“If the blocs attempt to impose their candidates on me, then I will tell you,” he said.

Mr. Allawi will have 30 days to form a new government.

Falih Hassan contributed from Baghdad.

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21 minutes ago, davis411 said:

Thanks 

is this the Allawi we want

or is that the other Allawi 

 

every 3 rd person named Allawi so I get confused 

 

Too, Too Right . . . the last name Allawi is to Iraq what the last names Smith & Jones are to the States.

 

Every time the 1st Sgt. of my company called out " SMITH ! " , half a dozen men would shout out here ! He loved doing that, quite a character our 1st Sgt.

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Middle East

Iraq's Sadr welcomes PM-designate, calls on supporters to cool protests

15 hours ago
 
 

Iraq's Sadr welcomes PM-designate, calls on supporters to cool protests
Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr speaks during a sit-in at the gates of Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, March 27, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)
 
 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) ­– After welcoming the designation of a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi as a candidate of “the people,” influential Iraqi politician and cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on his supporters to aid security forces in efforts to cool anti-government protests.

Iraqi President Barham Salih commissioned former communication minister Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi to form the new government close to two months after Abdul Mahdi turned in his resignation amid a security forces-led deadly crackdown of widespread anti-government demonstrations.

“It will be recorded in the history of Iraq that it is the people who chose their prime minister, not [parliamentary] blocs,” Sadr said in a statement on Saturday, adding that “this is a good step.”

Protesters were quick to take to the streets and reject Allawi’s nomination, whom they perceive to be part of the country’s wealthy and corrupt ruling elite unperturbed by the woes of an electorate living in harsh economic conditions.

Violence, though its severity has fluctuated, has plagued the anti-government protests since they began. The brutal treatment of the mostly peaceful protesters by riot police, elite military units, and Iranian-backed militias in the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have led to the deaths of over 600 demonstrators and the wounding of over 20,000 others, according to unofficial estimates.

 

Protesters have also condemned foreign interference in Iraqi affairs. Since crowds first took to the streets, young Iraqis, both male and female, have played a dominant role in the protests, with many boycotting secondary school or university classes to join the tens of thousands gathering to demand change for a better future.

Sadr has been an unpredictable character, and as demonstrations continued, he switched his position in his support for the movement multiple times, with some protesters considering him a cynical politician who attempted to steer the crowds to his benefit.

iraqprotee.JPG
Sadr's latest move has enraged protesters who are calling for, among others, an end to institutional corruption. (Photo: Ali Dab Dab)

Now, with Allawi working to take the mantle of leading the government, Sadr seems to have changed his position again. He called on his so-called Blue Hats – a group of mostly unarmed militant supporters active in different cities in the south – to support efforts to restore order by force and deter further protests.

“I find it necessary that the Blue Hats coordinate with the heroic national security forces, provincial education directorates, and tribes to form committees to bring back official working hours in government schools and others,” Sadr said in a statement on Sunday.

He continued: “They must open the closed roads, so that everyone can enjoy their daily life, and restore the good reputation of the revolution.” Sadr himself has threatened escalation on multiple occasions amid political gridlocks with his political opponents.

“I advise the security forces to prevent everyone from cutting off roads, and the ministry of education should punish those who obstruct regular working hours, be they students, teachers, or others.”

eReports have so far indicated that Blue Hats members had attacked a gathering location for demonstrators in the capital armed with batons. Protesters also posted pictures on social media appearing to show armed militia fighters allied with Sadr, Saraya al-Salam or the Peace Brigades, allegedly attempting to disperse protesters in different cities in the south.

Allawi has one month to form his cabinet, at which point the national parliament would hold a vote to approve him and his picks to lead a new government. He would act as interim prime minister and plan early legislative elections, a popular demand of the protesters, among others.

Allawi would also be burdened with balancing Iraq’s ties with divided interests, internally and internationally.

“We hope from Brother Muhammad Allawi that he will not give in to external and internal pressures, announce his program, and speed up the start of the early elections,” Sadr continued. “If he wants support to strengthen him independently, then I and the people are ready for that.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

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6 minutes ago, Rugbylaird19 said:

Auctions stopped would say a lot as to where his allegiances are.

Agreed Rugbylaird19, he could also run the Iranian militias out of the country as well. Those 2 signs of goodwill to the protesters would go a long way I think...

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37 minutes ago, Rugbylaird19 said:

Auctions stopped would say a lot as to where his allegiances are.

 

He could stop all the protesting and put Sadr and Iran in their place by pushing the Damn RV Button.  I personally believe it will be when he says the magic word!!!!

 

Can anyone guess what is the magic word?  I will post it in 5 minutes!!!

 

The winner gets a free camel ride at the Baghdad Zoo.  

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No one ventures a guess.  I’ll give you all a little more time to guess the magic word to unlock the RV!!  Where is Thugs, he’ll know the answer.  And no, it’s not clownshow or joker.  😂 😆 

 

Here is a clue,  Andy Griffin Show character’s favorite word!!

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20 minutes ago, Pitcher said:

No one ventures a guess.  I’ll give you all a little more time to guess the magic word to unlock the RV!!  Where is Thugs, he’ll know the answer.  And no, it’s not clownshow or joker.  😂 😆 

 

Here is a clue,  Andy Griffin Show character’s favorite word!!

 

 

💥💥 Shazam!💥💥

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This is the guy that's probably best suited. He'll have the backing of the u.s. and the brits. He was communications minister during Maliki and went against him every chance he could. Allawi was in charge of totally revamping all communication sectors and was laying all new internet, etc. He got Basra and the rest of Iraq hooked back up to international communications through the new under water communications cable. Maliki put road blocks in front of this guy constantly. Got to the point where Maliki went after him with corruption charges, etc. The same game as always. This guy took evidence to the u.s. of the goings on and to the Brits and we can see how far that went, but now it's 5 or more years later and the tables have turned. Trumps president and boris Johnson heads the British. I have a feeling we are going to see some major changes. 

Let's not forget who Barham saleh just spoke to in Davos. Yep that's right.....trump!!  ;)

Edited by mylilpony
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He is an Iranian Shiite,just another puppet. I realize that America setting up a government in this region never works, but Iraq sure as hell can't do it. Give them the option to side with Iran, or side with us and they will go down with them when teach Iran the lesson they have had coming for years. It's time to force them to use their currency, not ours, and irans currency sure isn't worth crap. 

  

 

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8 hours ago, mylilpony said:

This is the guy that's probably best suited. He'll have the backing of the u.s. and the brits. He was communications minister during Maliki and went against him every chance he could. Allawi was in charge of totally revamping all communication sectors and was laying all new internet, etc. He got Basra and the rest of Iraq hooked back up to international communications through the new under water communications cable. Maliki put road blocks in front of this guy constantly. Got to the point where Maliki went after him with corruption charges, etc. The same game as always. This guy took evidence to the u.s. of the goings on and to the Brits and we can see how far that went, but now it's 5 or more years later and the tables have turned. Trumps president and boris Johnson heads the British. I have a feeling we are going to see some major changes. 

Let's not forget who Barham saleh just spoke to in Davos. Yep that's right.....trump!!  ;)

Always appreciate your posts

 

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