14 Aug 14. Maliki steps down as Iraqi PM. Iraq’s prime minister announced late on Thursday he would step down after eight years in office and endorse the man chosen by his own political bloc to succeed him. Nouri al-Maliki, the embattled Shia premier accused of exacerbating the country’s sectarian divisions and paving the way for the arrival of the jihadist insurgency of Isis, announced his departure amid tremendous international and domestic pressure. The US, which has long pushed for Mr Maliki’s replacement, was thrilled by the announcement, and also a little surprised, with officials expecting the Iraqi leader to cling on for longer. Mr Maliki’s departure is likely to be the trigger for Washington to ramp up its backing of the Iraqi military, in the hope that Baghdad can take the lead in battling resurgent Islamic militants in the north. As Mr Maliki made his announcement in Baghdad, he stood beside Haider al-Abadi, the longtime political ally chosen by the country’s political blocs to form the country’s next government. “I withdraw my candidacy for prime minister in favour of Haider al-Abadi, in order to safeguard the unity and stability of Iraq and the political process,” Mr Maliki said in a speech broadcast late on Thursday evening. Standing at the centre of a group of senior Shia leaders from his own political bloc, he went on: “I will be a soldier in defence of Iraq, and will support my brother Haider al-Abadi’s nomination for prime minister.” Mr Maliki agreed to step down after facing opposition for a third term from Iraq’s Kurds, Sunni and his own Shia political coalition and Dawa party. Mr Abadi’s designation on Monday as premier by the president, Fouad Masoum, was quickly endorsed by both the US, Iran and Saudi Arabia, Iraq’s most important patrons and neighbours. The current leader’s stepping aside promises to end three-and-half-months of procedural and political deadlock that have delayed the formation of a new government based on general election results from April. Mr Abadi now has less than a month to propose a cabinet acceptable to a majority in parliament. But with the insurgents of the Islamic State, known as Isis, controlling a third of the country directly or through armed Sunni allies, Iraq continues to face its gravest security threat since the 2003 US invasion. US officials and Iraq’s regional and international allies hope that an inclusive, broadly acceptable government in Baghdad could stem some of the Sunni anger at Mr Maliki’s policies and reverse the gains Isis has made, especially in the north of Iraq where US President Barack Obama on Thursday announced continuing American air strikes on the group’s positions. Susan Rice, US national security adviser, said Iraqis had taken another major step forward in uniting their country with “a broad, inclusive government”. “We commend Prime Minister Maliki for his decision to support Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi in his efforts to form a new government in line with the Iraqi constitution,” she said. “These are encouraging developments that we hope can set Iraq on a new path and unite its people against the threat presented by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.” (Source: FT.com)
14 Aug 14. While the threat of mass violence on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq has passed, the threat from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant remains, and the United States continues its efforts to assist the Iraqi people caught up in violence, the Pentagon press secretary said. Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby told Pentagon reporters the situation in Iraq remains dangerous, and he described the objectives of the U.S. military mission in the country set forth by President Barack Obama. “The president has been clear about our limited military objectives in Iraq,” he said. “They are, one, to protect American citizens and facilities, two, to provide advice and assistance to Iraqi forces as they battle ISIL; and, three, to join with international partners to address