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Shiite Iraq Al-Hayat: Muhammad Husain Adili, the Iranian ambassador to the United Kingdom, said Thursday that his government had leant substantial help to the United States in fostering a “calm atmosphere” for the holding of elections on Jan. 30 in Iraq. He revealed that Iran had contacted Sunni Arab groups with which it had influence […]

Shiites Have Majority The Iraqi Electoral Commission confirmed on Thursday the projection I reported here last Monday, that the United Iraqi Alliance or the Shiite religious parties have a 51 percent majority of seats in the new Iraqi parliament. They have 140 seats out of 275. The wire services have been confused about this matter […]

Engelhardt and Hiro on Iraq’s Fault Lines Tom Engelhardt is a national treasure and always worth reading. Whenever I think that Russell Jacoby might have been right about the passing of the “last intellectuals,” I think of Tom and conclude “not yet.” This week he introduces veteran journalist Dilip Hiro’s essay on the way that […]

Jaafari: “Islam to be Source of Legislation” Against the backdrop of political horse trading, the violence continued in Iraq on Tuesday. AFP reports: ‘ Two soldiers were killed and another wounded when a bomb exploded near the restive Sunni town of Dhuluiyah, north of Baghdad . . . Near the town of Balad, further north, […]

Hariri Murder Provokes Political Split The family of slain former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri refused to allow members of the government of President Lahoud to attend his massive funeral in Beirut on Wednesday. The family was flanked by Walid Jumblatt, the Druze leader, and Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir. In the meantime, angry Sunni […]

Jaafari Takes lead Reuters is reporting that Ibrahim Jaafari is emerging as the frontrunner in the negotiations for prime minister. Jaafari opposed the US military assault on Fallujah, telling UPI: ‘ I believe that it is necessary to deal politically with what is happening in Fallujah because it is the best solution to end military […]

Guerrillas Kill US Soldier The CBC reports that ” Roadside bombs killed a U.S. soldier and three Iraqi National Guard troops Monday and officials said insurgents blew up an oil pipeline near Kirkuk and killed two senior police officers in Baghdad. Political leaders, meanwhile, sized up their positions in a new government. “ [Was swamped […]

Hariri Killed in Huge Car Bombing in Beirut Echoes of the bad old days reverberated through Beirut Monday when a powerful car bomb was detonated in front of the St. Georges Hotel, killing former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri and several others, and wounding dozens. Surrounding buildings took significant damage. A shadowy and previously unknown […]

Shiites Take Absolute Majority in Parliament Iran Scores Victory in the Iraqi Elections Lebanese Broadcasting Co.’s satellite television news is reporting that the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), comprising Shiite religious parties, has won an absolute majority (141 seats) after adjustments were made in accordance with electoral procedure. Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the list leader, expressed his […]