Monday, February 14, 2005
Shiites Win Election
D (Reuters) - Iraq (news - web sites)'s main Shi'ite alliance debated on Monday who to choose as prime minister and which allies to seek after failing to win an absolute majority in landmark elections.
The alliance, which won 48 percent in the Jan. 30 ballot instead of the 60 percent it hoped for, will need the support of other parties if it is to set the agenda in the 275-seat National Assembly.
Analysts expect the Kurds to be kingmakers in negotiations over who will take the top position in the next government as Iraqis look toward a reduction of the U.S. military presence and eventual withdrawal.
Doubts arose over whether the United Iraqi Alliance, an Islamist-led group backed by Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, would hold together after poll results were announced on Sunday. That issue was on the agenda in Monday's negotiations.
"It's a critical day for us. After today everything will be resolved," said a senior member of one of two main parties in the alliance.
The grouping, which is headed by two religious Shi'ite parties -- the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) and Dawa Party -- also brings together a medley of independents, secular Shi'ites, some Sunni Arabs and Turkmen.
"All details are being discussed minutely," said another source high on the alliance's 228-member list. "Today we will agree on the prime minister, the ministers, and all other details, including if the alliance will stay together."
The talks are being held at the office of Abdel-Aziz al- Hakim, the turbaned leader of SCIRI, who was photographed crying and holding his head in his hands after the results came in showing the alliance failed to win an absolute majority..
While the alliance won slightly less than half the vote, it could end up with around 140 seats in the assembly -- two more than a majority -- once all those votes that went to candidates who didn't get enough to secure a seat are redistributed among those who did win a place in the assembly.
The Kurds came second, winning a little over 25 percent of the vote, or around 70 seats in the assembly, and a list headed by interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi came third, securing nearly 14 percent of votes for around 40 seats.
PRIME MINISTER?
Iraq's two main Kurdish parties, which ran together, have agreed that Jalal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, will be their candidate for a senior government position and Talabani has indicated he wants the presidency.
Iraq's new government will have a president and two vice- presidents -- all largely ceremonial roles -- who must be approved by two-thirds of the assembly. Once they are named, they will choose a prime minister and agree on a cabinet of ministers who must be approved by a majority in the assembly.
Horse-trading to decide all those positions is already in full swing. If
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Test is a warm gun!
HAPPINESSS>>>>> is a warm yes it isssss.... guuuUAAAUUUUUUUUUaaaannnnn....
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