It was stunning victory for the Shiite Islamist, who was plucked from obscurity four years ago to be prime minister during the worse of Iraq's sectarian violence, and a success for Iran. It was a strategic defeat for Washington, which had pressed for a prominent role for a rival of the prime minister and appeared to be caught flatfooted by the rapid developments.
Iraq has been without a new government since March elections in which al-Maliki's slate of candidates came in second to that of secular Shiite candidate Ayad Allawi. As politicians maneuvered for position and U.S. combat troops withdrew, violence has spiked and Iraqis have become increasingly fearful of a return to large-scale sectarian strife.
The United States had lobbied hard for Iraqiya to have a central role in the next government, and in recent days had pushed hard for Allawi to be given the presidency, according to Iraqiya and Kurdish officials.
Instead, the alliance of al-Maliki and the incumbent president, Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, triumphed. It creates a scenario where a Shiite religious party and a Kurdish leader hold the main posts in Baghdad, and Iraq's Sunni Arab minority is once more relegated to a secondary role, not unlike the fractious government al-Maliki took control of four years ago.
Allawi stunned even some of his own supporters shortly after he left Wednesday's meeting in frustration by reversing himself and accepting the incumbent's terms.
This article appeared on page A - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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