Sadr Loyalists Resign From Iraq Government
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
BAGHDAD — Cabinet ministers loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr quit the government yesterday, severing the powerful Shiite religious leader from the American-backed prime minister and raising fears that Mr. Sadr’s Mahdi army might again confront American troops.
The American military reported the deaths of seven more American service members: three soldiers and two Marines yesterday and two soldiers on Saturday.
In the northern city of Mosul, a university dean, a professor, a policeman’s son, and 13 soldiers died in attacks bearing the signs of Al Qaeda in Iraq. Nationwide, at least 51 people were killed or found dead.
The political drama in Baghdad was not likely to bring down Prime Minister al-Maliki’s government, but it highlighted growing demands among Iraqi politicians and voters that a timetable be set for a U.S. withdrawal — the reason Mr. Sadr gave for the resignations.
The departure of the six ministers also was likely to feed the public perception that Mr. Maliki is dependent on American support, a position he spent months trying to avoid. Late last year, he went so far as to openly defy directives from Washington about legislative and political deadlines.
In an appearance with families of military veterans, President Bush said he had spoken with Mr. Maliki. “He said, ‘Please thank the people in the White House for their sacrifices, and we will continue to work hard to be an ally in this war on terror,'” Mr. Bush said.
White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said Mr. Sadr’s decision to pull his allies from the 37-member Cabinet did not mean Mr. Maliki would lose his majority in Iraq’s parliament. “Iraq’s system of government is … different from our system. … Those types of parliamentary democracies can come and go,” she said.
Sadiq al-Rikabi, an adviser to al-Maliki, told the Associated Press that new Cabinet ministers would be named “within the next few days” and that the prime minister planned to recruit independents not affiliated with any political group. The nominees will need parliament’s approval.
