Iraq’s Prime Minister: Is He Tough Enough?
I must say I find myself in agreement with those who question whether al-Maliki has the resolve to take on the militias:
Four months into his tenure, Mr. Maliki has failed to take aggressive steps to end the country’s sectarian strife because they would alienate fundamentalist Shiite leaders inside his fractious government who have large followings and private armies, senior Iraqi politicians and Western officials say. He is also constrained by the need to woo militant Sunni Arabs connected to the insurgency.
Patience among Iraqis is wearing thin. Many complain that they have seen no improvement in security, the economy or basic services like electricity. Some Sunni Arab neighborhoods seem particularly deprived, fueling distrust of the Shiite-led government.
Concerns about the toughness of the new government seemed reflected in President Bush’s comments when he met Tuesday with Iraq’s president, Jalal Talabani. Mr. Bush said he wanted Iraqis to know “that the United States of America stands with them, so long as the government continues to make the tough choices necessary for peace to prevail.”
Mr. Maliki, a conservative Shiite, took office in May. A senior American diplomat here said the White House still had confidence in him, mainly because “he has articulated goals for Iraq that make sense to us.”
Bush administration officials have repeatedly cautioned that Mr. Maliki needs more time. “This is a national unity government of many, many moving parts,” said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “He has got to negotiate as he goes.”
But diplomats who deal with the Bush administration on Iraq issues, and recently departed officials who stay in contact with their colleagues in the government, say the president’s top advisers have a far more pessimistic view.
“The thing you hear the most is that he never makes any decisions,” said a former senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss internal deliberations. “And that drives Bush crazy. He doesn’t take well to anyone who talks about getting something accomplished and then refuses to take the first step.”
It’s been clear for months on end now that Iraq must take the militias on head-on; of course, there will be repercussions, and things might even get worse (shudder) before they get better. But it has to be done.
What is needed is someone who is willing to adopt a bunker mentality and blast forward – in short, what is needed is – yes – a President Bush. There is a time for nuance and a time for stubbornness, and right now, Iraq needs stubbornness.
you’re right about maliki. we’d better invade again.
But… I thought Iraq was better off WITHOUT Saddam! You’re already nostalgic for him?
Listen, guys, nice try; nobody said al-Maliki was a Saddam (or that Iraq needs another Saddam), just that he may not be the right guy to take on the militias. Or do you like seeing dozens of people killed needlessly every day? I don’t – thus the desire for a strong leader…and strong leader doesn’t equal authoritarian lunatic, just someone who has the strength to push through change…
“What is needed is someone who is willing to adopt a bunker mentality and blast forward – in short, what is needed is – yes – a President Bush.”
Or even better – a dictator. But he’d have to be secular. And he’d have to have enough of a bunker mentality to hold the entire country together. And he’d have to have no ties to al-Qaeda. Wait…
Ha, ha, ha! Say, are you literate? If so, you’ll see we already covered this ground – right above your comment…
Look before you leap, Sherlock!…
Iraq needs more cronyism?
I don’t think so, do you? I said nothing about cronyism…
“…in short, what is needed is – yes – a President Bush…”
Good idea! How about sending him over there right now?
He’d only run out on his commission like he did before. But even if he should go over there, he’d only fail even worse than he has already. Bush has never succeeded at anything. Everything he has done has either been handed to him gift wrapped (Yale, his National Guard post), or he’s been paid to go away when he messes it up (Oil company, Rangers).
Wait! That’s it! Yes, send him over. Then when he makes an even greater hash of it than he already has, the Iraqis will pay us in oil to take him back! Brilliant!
Yes, yes, drink the progressive kool-aid, my friends – never mind that Bush is a two-term president of the United States who graduated from Yale with higher grades than John Kerry – he MUST be a failure, because you don’t like him…