• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Iraq's Embattled Al-Maliki On Visit To Turkey

August 7, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is in Ankara today for talks that are expected to focus on Turkey's concerns about Kurdish militants launching attacks from northern Iraq.

As al-Maliki arrived in Ankara, Turkish media noted the death of yet another Turkish soldier in the country’s southeast.

The Turkish lieutenant, killed by a roadside bomb, was the 80th military death blamed on Kurdish militants this year, who operate on both sides of the Iraqi-Turkish border.

For weeks, an estimated 140,000 Turkish troops have been poised on the border, ready to launch a full-scale incursion against the militants -- if given the order.

Ankara's Concerns

At the dominate bilateral talks today, Turkey is likely to repeat its demand that Baghdad act against the Kurdish militants on the Iraqi side of the border if it does not want Turkey to do so.

Ankara is also likely to express concern about the actions of the autonomous Kurdish administration in northern Iraq, which some Turkish generals accuse of giving safe haven to the militants.

The Iraqi authorities have repeatedly denied helping the militants -- a point al-Maliki made again as he arrived in Ankara.

But they also note that with all of the problems they are facing in other parts of Iraq -- including a full-scale insurgency in some provinces -- they can hardly afford to go after Kurdish militants now.

Diminishing Support At Home

In addition, al-Maliki faces major political problems as his governing coalition continues to unravel.

On August 6, five more ministers suspended their participation in cabinet meetings, accusing al-Maliki of fostering sectarianism. The five are members of the secular Iraqiya coalition, led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi -- a secular Shi’ite.

Nearly half of the Iraqi cabinet has now suspended its participation in the government. Just last week, the major Sunni bloc in parliament, the Iraqi Accordance Front, announced the withdrawal of its six ministers from the cabinet, accusing the government of “arrogance.”

The growing problems and pressures facing al-Maliki have raised questions about his ability to govern.

Officially, Washington retains full confidence in his leadership ability, as State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told a briefing on August 6.

“He is the person that was elected by the Iraqi people and it was decided upon among the leadership of the various political factions that he would be the prime minister," McCormack said. "So it's not for the United States to choose the Prime Minister for Iraq. He was freely elected.”

McCormack added that U.S. President George W. Bush and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, work closely with al-Maliki and his allies.

But freely elected or not, al-Maliki finds himself in an unenviable position. He has little maneuvering room left and his list of adversaries keeps growing.

It was left to President Jalal Talabani -- after the latest cabinet defection -- to shuttle between Shi’ite and Sunni leaders, in an attempt to keep the government together.

Whether those efforts will yield any progress remains unclear.

(with material from agency reports)

Copyright (c) 2007. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org