Muqtada al-Sadr, arguably the most popular leader in Iraq, launched violent criticisms against the government and its chairman, calling Maliki “a tool of the Americans” in an interview he gave to the British Independent. Sadrist officials have repeatedly attacked the government and its policies, but Muqtada himself rarely came out so violently against the person of the Prime Minister. His statements have probably sealed the fate of alleged negotiations between the government and its opponents to reconstitute the – practically defunct – “national unity government.”
In tandem with Sadr’s statements, al-Quds al-'Arabi reported that Ayatollah Sistani, the highest Shi'a cleric in Iraq, has similarly expressed his disapproval of the demarche of the government and its Shi'a parties. According to the paper, the Shi'a cleric said “they have filled my heart with puss,” in reference to ruling establishment in Iraq. Sistani’s words, however, were not made in a public statement, therefore, their veracity cannot be ascertained. The Pan-Arab Paper (which usually toes an Arab nationalist line, and was known for taking up pro-Saddam postures in the past) quoted sources “close to Ayatollah Sistani” who were present during his outburst.
Particularly, the paper added, the Ayatollah attacked “those who wore my robe, and controlled the government and the parliament,” which is a clear reference to al-Hakeem’s SIIC (which declared Sistani its highest reference earlier this year) and his allies in the Da'wa party. Strangely, al-Quds al-'Arabi quoted Sistani as complaining from the “sectarianism” of Iraq’s leaders. The Ayatollah was a main sponsor of the Shi'a Coalition, which united Shi'a parties during the last elections, and he has made repeated calls for Iraq’s Shi'a to “unite” and maintain a united front in the parliament and the government.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Sunni “Islamic Party” (which was promoted as a potential ally of the pro-government coalition) confirmed that his party will not participate in the cabinet under the current leadership. In an interview with Pan-Arab al-Sharq al-Awsat, 'Umar 'Abd al-Sattar said that the government was “a failure” and that Maliki “deserves a Nobel prize in maneuvering and evasiveness.”
In the midst of all these escalating feuds, pro-government al-Mada kept an optimistic line, and announced (yet again) that “the results of the political and diplomatic initiatives in Iraq have begun to show, in an attempt to consolidate the outcome of recent political meetings.” The paper did not on specify these “results” that were allegedly achieved.
Meanwhile, tensions escalate again in the South after the assassination of the governor of the Muthanna province, after a similar attack took the life of the governor of Qadisiya last week. Both personalities belonged to Shi'a parties that oppose the Sadr Current (more specifically, al-Hakeem’s SIIC) and fingers were quickly pointed to Sadrists as the probably culprits. It is worthy to mention that the Sadr movement has been locked in turf wars with the SIIC and its affiliated Badr Brigade throughout southern provinces for several months now.
In other news, Az-Zaman reported that Iranian shelling has forced the residents of northern villages to flee their homes after Iranian units directed artillery fire towards border areas. The attacks, Iranian officials claim, are part of a campaign against Kurdish rebels. The paper added that, according to reports, Kurdish armed groups succeeded in shooting down an Iranian shopper in Northeastern Iran. Az-Zaman, which adopts an anti-Iranian line, explained to its readers that Iranian claims of “Kurdish rebels” are but an “excuse” used by the Islamic Republic “to interfere in Iraqi affairs.”
Lastly, al-Hayat and al-Quds al-'Arabi relayed conflicting reports as to whether a new coalition is being negotiated in Iraq to oppose the pro-government alliance. Both papers said that such a coalition is already in the works, al-Hayat quoted a spokesman of 'Allawi’s “Iraqi List” who said that the pro-government coalition has intensified talks between the parties that were left out to launch an opposing coalition. Al-Quds al-'Arabi, however, quoted a Sadrist official who denied such claims.
In the same issue, nevertheless, the London-based pan-Arab paper alleged that the Sadrists will lead a parliamentary coalition intended to counter the pro-government alliance.
