PM Abadi presented his choices for a new cabinet formation before parliament today. Here are my initial thoughts on what I think is a very positive development:
--Abadi showed that he can act decisively and meet deadlines. He did not get bogged down in the bickering of political parties.
--Abadi showed toughness and succeeded in absorbing great pressures from multiple parties, including threats by Sadr to storm the green Zone and uproot the government. Moqtada responded rather positively by ordering his followers to end their sit-in, which is welcome deescalation of the tensions of recent weeks.
--Sherif Ali bin Hussien, a Sunni Arab related to Iraq's former monarchs, is a good choice for foreign ministry. Sophisticated and respected. Giving him the foreign ministry will be good for repairing Iraq’s connections with the Arab world.
--Ali Allawi is an excellent choice for finance and planning. Intelligent and thoughtful. Merging these two portfolios can consolidate and streamline planning and execution of budgets. Having a clean minister at the top promises to control corruption and inefficiency.
--Abadi showed that he can act decisively and meet deadlines. He did not get bogged down in the bickering of political parties.
--Abadi showed toughness and succeeded in absorbing great pressures from multiple parties, including threats by Sadr to storm the green Zone and uproot the government. Moqtada responded rather positively by ordering his followers to end their sit-in, which is welcome deescalation of the tensions of recent weeks.
--Sherif Ali bin Hussien, a Sunni Arab related to Iraq's former monarchs, is a good choice for foreign ministry. Sophisticated and respected. Giving him the foreign ministry will be good for repairing Iraq’s connections with the Arab world.
--Ali Allawi is an excellent choice for finance and planning. Intelligent and thoughtful. Merging these two portfolios can consolidate and streamline planning and execution of budgets. Having a clean minister at the top promises to control corruption and inefficiency.
--The fact that many of the other candidates don't sound familiar is generally a good sign in Iraq!
Hi Omar,
ReplyDeletePM Abadi appears to be hiring technocrats.
If the new Iraqi leadership can foster integrity over corruption and tie integrity to patriotism, then Iraq can still come out of this as a model for democracy in the mideast. Integrity will pacify al-Sadr and the Sunnis can begin to trust the government.
Good luck with your new blog. I have been following ITM and Michael Yon since the earliest days. I proposed a domino ITM banner image because Iraq was going to be the first domino in a line of democracies that would rise out of the mideast, similar to the peaceful transition from communism. Then the Arab spring happened and everyone elected the very people who would dismantle said democracies... oh well - freedom isn't free.
Greg from USA
welcome back Omar!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis must be the famous Andrea and I see D Cat and Outlaw Mike are still alive and kicking. :)
DeleteOmar,
ReplyDeleteYou're still alive after all these years.
What has it been 50 years or so since the war and now you are a grandfather. Democracy could never gain hold in the Muslim Middle East because Islam and democracy are fire and water. If it is blasphemy for Muslims to criticize Islam, how can you even have a basic principle of democracy like Freedom of Speech? And from a geo-political strategic principle, Iraq should be no more in the first place. It's time for the Kurds to have their own independent state with their brethren in Iran, Turkey and Syria. The Kurds with their pre-Islamic roots might be able to maintain a secular state and provide a place for the remaining Christians in the Levant.
Yep,thats me "THE FAMOUS ANDREA"..hehehe,Mr.Ghost.....Please don't give my buddy Omar too much grap...He means the world to me,i know,you don't care...for god's sakes Mr. Ghost,good to hear from ya again. Kind of funny how word gets around,is it now? we all want peace Mr.Ghost...but when you are small voice,like me,you can only
ReplyDeleteprotest in the streets,before the "man" will
listen.
Unless you are a MOney making machine with politians in your back pocket Mr.Ghost, don't put this all on Omar.
By the way Mr.Ghost,I saw Sir Paul again.
and I am getting the feeling of who you are.
bytheway mr.Ghost....isn't ISIS the best assholes yet? GOSH,WHAT SWELL GUYS AND GALS,EH?
ReplyDeleteSHIT MR GHOST,ALOT ARE COMING out of my back door in Minnesota...Sad to see it coming from
my small state...