Amid the deteriorating political and security conditions in Iraq, Iraqis were once again jubilated by the performance of their national soccer team: in the Asian Cup finals, the Iraqi team achieved an impressive victory over Australia by three goals to one.
Iraq’s victory in its opening game in the tournament was accentuated in the Arab media by the fact that it was the first Arab victory in the Asian finals (after the other six Arab teams ended their games with a defeat or a draw) and was achieved against one of the most fearsome teams in the tournament- the Australian team, whose ranks swell with professionals playing in European leagues.
According to al-Hayat, Iraqis expressed their joy with – modest – celebrations in Baghdad’s streets, in addition to the customary firing in the air. Iraq will play again today against Oman, a victory or a tie will guarantee the Iraqi team a place in the next stage of the competition.
On a different front, al-Hayat relayed a statement by the – banned – Iraq Ba'th party, protesting the “taking out of context” of sections of the last speech by 'izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, Saddam’s vice-president, elected to replace Saddam at the helm of the Ba'th party.
In a recent speech by al-Duri, the Ba'thi leader criticized some ex-Ba'this and accused them of being “under the tutelage of the (Syrian) intelligence services that have hosted them.”
According to the pan-Arab paper, a party spokesman claimed that the Duri speech was not circulated by the party, but by “enemy parties ... who obtained the speech through illegitimate means.” The spokesman added that the leaking of the speech was intended to “sabotage (the Ba'th’s) relationship with Syria,” and affirmed that Saddam Husain had praised Syria’s president, Bashshar al-Asad, and that al-Duri had described the Iraqi Ba'th’s relationship with Syria as “strategic.”
Az-Zaman reported a statement by 'Abdul 'Azeez al-Hakeem – currently in Iran for treatment from lung cancer – in which the Shi'a leader confirmed, speaking on behalf of the United Iraqi Alliance, that Nuri al-Maliki will remain as Prime Minister for the time being. Az-Zaman said that al-Hakeem’s statement came as a response to rumors alleging that the UIA may be choosing a new Prime Minister to head the Iraqi government. The paper added that several parties in the UIA had expressed dismay at the news of the formation of a new “mini-cabinet” consisting of the two pro-government parties in the UIA in addition to the Kurdish parties. Such an arrangement would leave major Iraqi parties, like the Sadrists, al-Fadhila and most Sunni parties, outside of the government.
Another major event was reported today by the Iraqi edition of Az-Zaman, the Baghdad-based paper said that the Sadrist parliamentary bloc (consisting of almost 30 deputies) has suspended its boycott of parliamentary sessions and will be soon resuming its legislative duties.
In recent weeks, the boycott of the Sadrist Current and the Sunni “Accord” front had made it practically impossible for the Iraqi parliament to meet and pass new laws, since the quorum required for legislative sessions was rarely achieved.
Government-owned As-Sabah confirmed the news regarding the near-launch of the “moderate’s front” that is intended to support a renewed Maliki cabinet. The paper said that over half the ministers will be replaced with the coming reforms.
UIA parliamentarian 'Abbas al-Bayyati told As-Sabah that new minister will be appointed in the new cabinet (especially in “service” ministries), in addition to the replacement of the Sadrist ministers who had announced their resignation from the cabinet.
Lastly, al-Mada published on its front page an opinion piece by a “concerned citizen” discussing the proposed oil and gas law. The column did not discuss the economic and political facets of the oil law, but contented in reminding those “in high positions” in Iraq that the promulgation of an oil law in the country means little while there is “no oil and gas in Iraq,” in a reference to the shortages of oil and gas derivatives from the Iraqi domestic market.
