The move is a major step toward ultimately forming Iraq’s next government. But the appointment of the next cabinet and prime minister probably is weeks if not months away as political jockeying over Iraq’s top positions continue. Parliament has no more than 15 days to convene its first session.
The step was welcomed by the U.S. Embassy. American officials have been concerned about the pace of the formation of the government, which coincides with a U.S. military drawdown to no more than 50,000 troops by the end of the summer. Since the election, the nation has plunged into a period of uncertainty and endured a series of bloody attacks that have killed hundreds in the midst of a political vacuum…
The certification follows months of political upsets that many blame on Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s iron will to keep his job despite losing the popular vote to secular Shiite Ayad Allawi.
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