Kerry Hints That U.S. Would Support New Leader for Iraq

Source: The New York Times

CAIRO — Secretary of State John Kerry, visiting Cairo on the first leg of a trip to try to rally Arab support on the Iraq crisis, said on Sunday that it was important for Iraqis to “find leadership” that could bridge the deep sectarian divides in the country, apparently sending a subtle signal that the United States was open to the selection of a new prime minister there.

The formal American position, which Mr. Kerry underscored at a joint news conference with his Egyptian counterpart, is that the United States is not in the business of picking Iraq’s leaders.

But without mentioning Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq by name, Mr. Kerry also noted that the Kurds, the Sunnis and some Shiites had registered unhappiness with Iraq’s political leadership, as has Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the influential Shia spiritual leader who has spoken out about the need to avoid the mistakes of the past in Iraq

“The United States would like to see the Iraqi people find leadership that is prepared to represent all of the people of Iraq,” Mr. Kerry said.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/23/world/middleeast/kerry-arrives-in-cairo-on-trip-to-help-form-new-iraqi-government.html