US ready to sacrifice Maliki in Iraq

Both Saudi King Abdullah and the US Secretary of State John Kerry agree that the Sunni population of Iraq need to have greater involvement in the political arena in Iraq, the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds said yesterday.

During their meeting, they agreed on the return of the prominent military and security leaders to their senior positions in the military institution regardless of sectarian considerations.

Al-Quds said that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain insist that the outgoing Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has to leave his position, which he has occupied for two terms.

The newspaper added that the US administration understands that Al-Maliki will not been accepted by Sunni Iraqis and at least one Shia group, as well as the Iraqi Kurds.

“The psychology to sacrifice Al-Maliki in order to reach a swift solution for the political crisis is spreading among officials in the While House,” the newspaper reported its sources saying.

Meanwhile, Iran continued its support for Al-Maliki through the Shia groups such as the Badr Organisation, the League of the Righteous and the Supreme Islamic Council in Iraq, headed by Ammar Al-Hakim, who was brought up in Iran and obtained 30 seats in the last vote.

There are several expected nominees to succeed Al-Maliki however, Iran and the Shia community object to some, while Washington and the Sunnis object to others.

Yesterday, US President Barak Obama ordered 300 more American troops to shore up security in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, around the international airport, US embassy and other properties there.

Previously, Obama said: “Iraqi leaders alone are able to rule [the country] based on a collective agenda. They will be able to really unite the Iraqi people.”

Meanwhile, the Saudi King blamed Washington’s failing policy in Syria for the deteriorated situation in Iraq. The King said that the US would not be able to solve the Iraqi problems without tackling the Syrian issue.