Iraq’s vice president Tariq al-Hashemi is a Sunni Muslim and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is a Shiite. Fourteen bombs exploded across Baghdad during rush hour last Thrusday, killing at least 72 people and the two leaders are blaming each other for the shocking terrorist attack. Prime Minister Maliki, who is a member of the Shiite majority, has issued a warrant for Hashemi's arrest.
Hashemi is convinced the PM is on a mission to wipe out his political opponents and has hired personal bodyguards to run a death squad. He said "After the Americans decided to pull out, he felt free to try to get rid of his political rivals and opponents and critics - this is why he started with me, in due course he will continue with others." Hashemi also says the United States should shoulder some of the blame, because of the style of management left in place after the withdrawal of its troops.
President Obama says he has no intention of sending troops back to Iraq, even if sectarian violence and political upheaval disintegrate into civil war. He said the US had given Iraqis an opportunity and what they do with that opportunity is up to them.
Vice-President Biden talked to Mr. Maliki; Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni political leader; and Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish leader and urged them to organize a meeting of Iraq’s top political leaders, from Mr. Maliki on down, with the message that “you all need to stop hurling accusations at each other through the media and actually sit together and work through your competing concerns.” American officials say that Mr. Talabani is the best person to convene such a meeting, because he is respected by the most Iraqis.
All hope now lies in the ability of Prime Minister Maliki to hold together a coalition government made up of bitter enemies who have hated each other for generations. Dare we hope that it is possible for them to stop the hatred and agree to live in peace?
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