Bush Risks Alienating Shias
The Bush administration has finally given up any pretence that it believes in democracy by writing to the Iraqi government demanding the removal of Ibrahim al-Jaafari the Iraqi prime minister.
This latest move now puts the Bush administration on a collision course with Iraq's Shia population, who account for 60% of Iraqis.
Already at war with Iraq's Sunnis, the move is puzzling to say the least.
Mr Jaafari remains the chosen Shia leader and retains the support of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and the Hawza (the religious hierarchy) as well as by the Iranians.
Quite what the Americans hope to gain from this is, to me, unclear.
One thing is certain though. As we witnessed in Palestine, democracy doesn't always throw up leaders of the political persuasion that the Bush administration would like.
The test for Bush is whether he will accept democratic results that he does not favour, or whether he will oppose them.
To oppose them, which appears from this to be his chosen path, is to undermine all his empty rhetoric about why his army is in the Middle East in the first place.
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Americans' call for removal of Iraqi PM threatens rift with Shias
Coverage From The New York Times
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