Within hours of the US military’s exit from Iraq, the country has been thrown into political turmoil. Why? Yes, that’s correct. The Vice-President, more importantly, the Sunni Vice-President, has been accused of running a hit squad that killed government officials during the nation’s wave of sectarian bloodletting. The Shia government has waited a single day after US forces left to issue a warrant for its Vice-President, Tariq al-Hashemi. Naturally, al-Hashemi blames this all on a grand conspiracy, created by no less than the Shia Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki. Mr. al-Hashemi has remained rather vague as to what specifically the Prime Minister had done, but laid blame for his “embarrassment” squarely with the Prime Minister.
This move, while legally challenged (incorrectly as usual) by #TNREgirl, highlights a troubling discord amongst the higher echelon of Iraqi government. Vice-President al-Hashemi is the country’s highest-ranking Sunni official in the majority Shia government. Both possibilities surrounding the incident do not paint a positive picture; if Mr. al-Hashemi is guilty of running a hit squad that targeted Shias, then that is simply unforgivable for one who has repeatedly preached communal harmony. If, on the other hand, he is innocent, and al-Maliki is behind this rather monumental conspiracy, then that is equally unforgivable, to push Iraq so close to the brink of another civil war.
This step risks ripping asunder the denominational faultlines that pushed Iraq into civil war just a few years ago… and what’s even more threatening is the fact that this time, the Iraqi government will have to handle it themselves, because there aren’t any US boots on the ground to deal with this. Let’s see how this event unfolds over the next couple of days.
This move, while legally challenged (incorrectly as usual) by #TNREgirl, highlights a troubling discord amongst the higher echelon of Iraqi government. Vice-President al-Hashemi is the country’s highest-ranking Sunni official in the majority Shia government. Both possibilities surrounding the incident do not paint a positive picture; if Mr. al-Hashemi is guilty of running a hit squad that targeted Shias, then that is simply unforgivable for one who has repeatedly preached communal harmony. If, on the other hand, he is innocent, and al-Maliki is behind this rather monumental conspiracy, then that is equally unforgivable, to push Iraq so close to the brink of another civil war.
This step risks ripping asunder the denominational faultlines that pushed Iraq into civil war just a few years ago… and what’s even more threatening is the fact that this time, the Iraqi government will have to handle it themselves, because there aren’t any US boots on the ground to deal with this. Let’s see how this event unfolds over the next couple of days.
“Al-Maliki is behind the whole issue. The country is in the hands of al-Maliki. All the efforts that have been exerted to reach national reconciliation and to reunite Iraq are gone. So yes, I blame al-Maliki.”
-Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi on the warrant issued for his arrest
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