tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post93825169957710783..comments2024-02-29T12:38:32.191-08:00Comments on MUSINGS ON IRAQ: Maliki On The 2010 Campaign TrailJoel Winghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-71546547882073169232009-09-04T17:06:34.541-07:002009-09-04T17:06:34.541-07:00Of the 3 post-invasion leaders he's been the b...Of the 3 post-invasion leaders he's been the best. Can they do better? I don't see anyone on the horizon right now. Iraqi politics right now is fracturing after you had these big blocs, Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, run together in 2005. Maliki has helped bring back Iraqi nationalism, took on the Mahdi Army, has launched operations in Mosul, tried to get foreign investment back, has established himself as being independent from both the U.S. and the parties that originally put him in power in 2006. On the negative side he's used the security forces against his opponents, has played up Arabism vs. the Kurds, tried to impose his will on the security forces, never done anything about corruption, and didn't help during the sectarian war and ethnic cleansing. Right now I think he's done more good than bad but playing up the dispute with the Kurds could really backfire.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-33702937245715531242009-09-04T09:44:06.374-07:002009-09-04T09:44:06.374-07:00What do you think Joel, if you were an Iraqi would...What do you think Joel, if you were an Iraqi would you vote for Maliki? Do you think his influence is net positive and do you think Iraqis could realistically do better?Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14723663607073265200noreply@blogger.com