Iraq crisis: Nouri al-Maliki is ‘taking Iraq to hell’ by rejecting salvation government

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is rejecting calls for an interim “national salvation government” that would seek to represent all Iraqi communities, claiming that such a government, under which he would step down, would be “a coup against the constitution”.

Mr Maliki is opposed by the Sunni, Kurds, several Shia parties, the US and the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the Shia spiritual leader. To have a chance of keeping his job he would need the full support of Iran, which does not want him to be replaced by a pro-American prime minister.

Speaking today, Mr Maliki said: “We desperately need to take a comprehensive national stand to defeat terrorism, which is seeking to destroy our gains of democracy and freedom, set our differences aside and join efforts.”

Ghassan al-Attiyah, a political scientist and activist, said: “By staying on Maliki is playing into the hands of Sunni extremists. He is taking Iraq to hell.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-crisis-nouri-almaliki-is-taking-iraq-to-hell-by-rejecting-salvation-government-9563433.html