Barzani and Maliki in stand-off

Maliki and Barzani

Comment by The Kurdistan Tribune:

The stand-off between the Kurdistan Regional president Masud Barzani and Iraqi prime minister Nuri al Maliki continues after Barzani’s Newroz speech accusing Maliki of dictatorial intent. “Where in the world can the same person be the prime minister, the chief of staff of the armed forces, the minister of defense, the minister of interior, the chief of intelligence and the head of the national security council”, said Barzani, referring to Maliki’s moves to concentrate power and marginalise the Sunni, Kurd and even some Shia parties.

Barzani’s speech followed Maliki’s announcement that, after next week’s Arab League summit in Baghdad, he will take action against politicians accused of corruption and terrorism. This was a clear reference to fugitive Iraqi vice-president Tariq al Hashimi who has sought sanctuary in the Kurdistan Region.

Barzani has refused to hand over Hashimi  and this is justified on humanitarian grounds. There is ample evidence that one of Hashimi’s bodyguards was recently tortured and killed by Maliki’s forces in Baghdad. However, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) must also avoid being drawn into a further escalation of the sectarian Sunni-Shia conflict at the expense of Kurdistan.

In its outlook and ideas Maliki’s Dawa party is not unlike Saddam’s Baathist party. Prime minister MalIki has been preparing to forge of new brand of Iraq dictatorship for the past seven years.

He has also consistently blocked progress on Kurd demands on Article 140 concerning Kirkuk, the oil and gas law and other issues. PUK and KDP MPs in Baghdad have failed to see what was going on and properly fight for Kurdish interests. Barzani is now making a correct though late stand against Maliki.

Copyright © 2012 Kurdistantribune.com

 

2 Responses to Barzani and Maliki in stand-off
  1. Halmet
    March 25, 2012 | 15:36

    Im still not sure the purpose of the stand off?
    What is Barzani trying to accomplish?
    Except that 17% of revenue, is there anything else that Baghdad contributes to Kurds?
    Barzani hasn’t been able to solve major issues such as article 140, oil law, disputed areas and the Peshmarga since 2003. what is it now?
    I think this rhetoric just brings only animosity but nothing else.

  2. Kurdish
    March 28, 2012 | 14:31

    “Where in the world can the same person be the prime minister, the chief of staff of the armed forces, the minister of defense, the minister of interior, the chief of intelligence and the head of the national security council”… Seems like Barzani is talking about himself (and his family)!?!

    What I think he’s really trying to do though is to marginalize Maliki even more, thus creating another reason for a potential future partition of Iraq.

    The question is whether the people really want a partition with the composition of the current kurdish government and the way the region is governed, as well as having paragraph 140 still unresolved.

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