Our Leaders Leading Iraq; SNAFU

With the "surge" policy in place, this was supposed to be a summer of political reconciliation. Instead, a variety of Iraqi politicians have spent their August recess plotting a "parliamentary coup" that would "oust Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, declare a state of emergency and install a new government."

At the forefront of these efforts is former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite who was Washington's first choice to lead Iraq after the U.S. occupation authority ended. He now is being presented by his followers as the best hope of saving Iraq from what they say is certain catastrophe.

But Allawi's is by no means the only name in circulation. Another former prime minister, two current vice presidents, a former planning minister, an Iraqi general from the old regime and an independent Sunni parliamentarian are among those being mentioned as potential alternatives.

"Everyone is desperate to be prime minister," said Saleh al-Mutlaq, a Sunni politician who has thrown his support behind Allawi but who has also been mentioned as a potential candidate. "Iraq is producing prime ministers."

U.S. officials are not innocent bystanders in this process.

"There's been a definite change in tone from Washington, and the momentum and drive to support Allawi will increase," said Jaafar al-Taie, a political analyst involved in the new coalition's campaign. "It's not only that Maliki must go, but that the whole system must go."

According to Allawi's published program, the parliamentarians would not only appoint a new government but also suspend the new constitution, declare a state of emergency and make the restoration of security its priority. [...]

"Even when Bush tried to modify what he said, he did not go so far," said Izzat Shabandar, a strategist with the Allawi bloc. "We know that Bush from inside would like to replace Maliki, but he did not say it clearly. He chose to say it in a diplomatic way."

As Digby put it, "It's a public coup --- Americans and Iraqis alike are all reading about it and talking about it like it's a TV show and we're all waiting to see the finale."

Link.

Rhetorical question: The Christofascist supporters of Our Leaders are cool with all the gratuitous death we brought to Iraq because it's non-Christian Muslims dying, right?