Archive | Politics

Iraq Business News brings you the latest Iraqi politics news, keeping you up to date with the latest information and developments.

Maliki Steps Aside for New PM

By Laith Hammoudi. This article was originally published by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, iwpr.net, and it is reproduced by Iraq Business News with permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News Nuri al-Malik, prime minister of Iraq for the last […]

Video: Maliki gives up PM Job

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Nouri al-Maliki has in a television address announced his decision to step down as Iraq's prime minister and endorsed Haider al-Abadi as his successor. He said his decision was aimed at preserving the […]

Maliki Quits as PM in Favour of Abadi

By John Lee. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has finally bowed to pressure and stepped aside to make way for Haider al-Abadi [Haydar al-Abbadi], who has been asked by Iraq's president to form a government. Appearing on state TV flanked by Mr Abadi and other Shia politicians, Mr Maliki said: "I announce before you today, to […]

Maliki Pledges Peaceful Fight to Retain PM Title

By John Lee. It's something many academics and Maliki observers have long feared: that if cornered, Maliki would use loyalist Iraqi forces, in particular the Iraqi Special Operations Forces, to hold onto power. Instead, The Wall Street Journal  have reported that Maliki has pledged to pursue his fight to retain the top spot through the courts, […]

UN Officials urge Respect for Constitution

Amidst ongoing insecurity in northern Iraq, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his representative in the country expressed support today for President Fouad Masoum’s office, as politicians are working towards creating a new Government, and warned that heightened political tensions could lead Iraq into even deeper crisis. Mr. Ban “commends Iraqi President Fuad Massoum for having charged […]

Obama: A Opportunity Squandered

In an interview with Thomas L. Friedman of the New York Times, US President Barack Obama has said that a residual U.S. troop presence in Iraq would never have been needed had the Shiite majority not “squandered an opportunity” to share power with Sunnis and Kurds. “Had the Shia majority seized the opportunity to reach […]

Analyst: Political Moves in Iraq

From CNN. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The nomination of a new Iraqi prime minister could giveIraqis "a nationalistic surge," says CNN military analyst.

Video: Obama's Balancing Act over Iraq Crisis

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. US President Barack Obama is warning that the fight against the Islamic State group may take time. Speaking before US fighter jets carried out a new round of air strikes, Obama blamed Iraqi […]

New PM Named to End Maliki's Rule

By Laith Hammoudi. This article was originally published by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, iwpr.net, and it is reproduced by Iraq Business News with permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News Iraqi president Mohammed Fuad Masum has asked Haider al-Abadi  […]

Haydar al-Abbadi Is New Iraq PM Candidate

The following article was published by Reidar Visser, an historian of Iraq educated at the University of Oxford. It is reproduced here with the author’s permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Today, what remains of the pan-Shiite National Alliance formally presented Haider al-Abadi  [Haydar al-Abbadi] […]

Maliki contests Abadi Nomination

By John Lee. Meeting an extended deadline, Iraqi President Fouad Massoum has nominated a PM from the State of Law bloc, the largest coalition which therefore has the constitutional right to name the next Iraqi PM. But it was not Nouri-al-Maliki. Observers are now waiting to see what action, if any, Maliki might take to […]

Situation complex as Maliki digs in

By John Lee. On Sunday at midnight, Iraq's embattled PM Nouri al-Maliki issued a defiant speech claiming his constitutional right to remain at the helm of his crisis hit country. Tellingly, he warned his political foes they were effectively with the terrorists, and the speech was described by one Iraq analyst on twitter as akin […]