Sunni bloc returns to parliament after al-Mashhadani reinstated as speaker

Left: Mahmud Mashhadani was ousted after his bodyguards allegedly roughed up another lawmaker. Above: The major players -- Nuri al-Maliki (Prime Minister, Shiite), Tariq al-Hashemi (one of two Vice Presidents, Sunni), Moqtada al-Sadr ('fiery' anti-American cleric, Shiite), Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim (head of the largest Shiite coalition), Jalal Talabani (President of Iraq, Kurd, Qadiri Sufi sect of Sunnism), and Massoud Barzani (President of Iraqi Kurdistan, Naqshbandi Sufi sect of Sunnisim). Sadr's parliamentary bloc just returned this week to the legislature following a protest of the most recent bombing of the al-Askari shrine in Samarra. The U.S. military has said that Sadr is back in Iran, which Sadr's aides are denying.

Lawmakers from Iraq's largest Sunni political bloc have ended a nearly five-week boycott of parliament.

The 44 members of the Iraqi Accordance Front returned to parliament after striking a deal with other blocs to reinstate the Sunni speaker, Mahmud al-Mashhadani. He was ousted by the Shi'ite-dominated assembly last month, triggering the bloc's walkout. Following his reinstatement, Al-Mashhadani led today's session.

The return of the Iraqi Accordance Front to parliament comes two days after lawmakers loyal to radical Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ended their nearly five-week boycott of the legislature.

Both blocs are returning as legislators are preparing to discuss an important draft oil law.

From RFE

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