New Iraqi political alliance hits snag over Sadr

Nouri al-Maliki, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, Moqtada al-Sadr,
Harith al-Dhari and Massoud Barzani

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The creation of a moderate political alliance in Iraq appeared to have made no progress Friday and was further complicated by the Shiite leadership claims that radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr must not be excluded.

"President Bush is being misled," senior Shiite parliament member Ali al-Adeeb said in response to Bush's statement Wednesday that an emerging "moderate coalition" would marginalize those who "use violence to achieve political objectives."

Bush's reference to a violent group was aimed at al-Sadr's Mehdi Army, which the Pentagon on Monday warned exceeded al Qaeda in Iraq as the greatest threat to security in Baghdad.

"The political process in Iraq is not being threatened by Sadrists, but by Takfiris (Sunni extremists) and former regime elements," al-Adeeb said.

Reports of an alliance that would include the main Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni parties began circulating last week.

Al-Adeeb, a member of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Dawa party, said efforts were under way to persuade al-Sadr and his loyalists to end a three-week boycott of the Shiite-led 275-member government. Six Sadrist ministers and 30 parliament members suspended their participation to protest al-Maliki's meeting with Bush in Amman, Jordan, last month.

The boycott was "mere political posturing" by Sadrists, said al-Adeeb. Although the movement had its extremists, al-Adeeb said, "it's easier to turn the Sadr hard-liners around because the movement, unlike the Takfiris and Baathists, believes in the political process."

No one in the Shiite leadership, including Abdul Aziz Hakim, the leader of the United Iraqi Alliance parliamentary bloc, believes any new alliance should exclude the Sadrists, al-Adeeb added.

Read the rest at CNN

Related Link:
Iraqi Shi'ite leaders head to Najaf to avert crisis

Related Link:
Report: Shia leadership agrees deal over sectarian killers

Related Link:
Iraqi Factions Try to Undercut a Plan to Isolate Sadr

Related Link:
Report: Sadr to end government boycott, meets with Shi'ite coalition this weekend

Related Link:
Report: Sadr considers 'unilateral' one-month cease fire

Related Link:
Shi'ite coalition meets with Sistani

Related Link:
Shi'ite officials press Maliki to tackle militias

Related Link:
Top Shiite Cleric Is Said to Favor a Coalition for Iraq

Related Link:
Iraqi government reshuffle leaves critics dissatisfied

Related Link:
White House: Maliki promises to target insurgents

Related Link:
Maliki reaches out to members of Saddam's army at reconciliation conference

Related Link:
Sources: Iraqi PM Weighs Political Realignment

Related Link:
Hashemi: US must reform Iraqi forces before leaving

Related Link:
Report: Maliki presented Bush with plan for Iraq takeover of Baghdad security

Related Link:
Analysis: Laying the Groundwork for a "Cabinet Reshuffle" in Iraq

Related Link:
Iraqi group seeks power shift

Related Link:
Iraq VP al-Hashemi criticizes Maliki government ahead of Bush meeting

Related Link:
Report: Maliki invited to join U.S.-backed anti-Sadr coalition

Related Link:
White House denies move to oust al-Maliki

Related Link:
Plans Under Way to Replace Iraq PM

Related Link:
Bush set to meet Iraqi Shiite leader with ties to Iran