Pressures increase to drop Jaafari

Both the Kurds and the Sunnis escalated their opposition to the candidacy of the Shiite coalition choice Ibrahim al-Jaafari to head a new Iraqi government.

In the most recent attempt in this regard, the Kurdistani Alliance dispatched the leading figure Barham Saleh to the Shiite clergy Ayatullah Ali al-Seistani in al-Najaf. Saleh told journalists that the nomination of Jaafari to the cabinet does not serve Iraq under the current phase which needs a persons that has the consent of all political blocs.

The Kurdish official asked the coalition for the need to change Jaafari in order to be able to overcome the current political crisis.

On the other hand, the Sunni al-Tawafuk Front, represented by its leading figure Khalaf al-Alyan, renewed rejection for the nomination of Jaafari. It said it regrets his failure to contain sectarian violence which intensified in Iraq since the blowing of a religious shrine in Sameraa on February 22.

On the other hand, the Iraqi city of Baghdad and several Iraqi Shiite cities in the south witnessed demonstrations supporting Jaafari.

The continuity of this crisis obstructs the formation of the new government and the convening of the parliament despite the announcement of results of the legislative elections one month ago.