#British-educated Abadi

[thisdaynews]

Breaking News: Iraq vote: Initial results show Muqtada al-Sadr leading

New Post has been published on https://www.thisdaynews.net/2018/05/16/breaking-news-iraq-vote-initial-results-show-muqtada-al-sadr-leading/

Breaking News: Iraq vote: Initial results show Muqtada al-Sadr leading

Shia religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr appears ahead in preliminary results of the Iraqi general elections.

If initial results are confirmed, British-educated PM Abadi may have to form a coalition with Shia religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr [Reuters]

The political coalition of influential Shia religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr took an early lead in Iraq’s national elections in partial returns announced late on Sunday by the Iraqi electoral commission.

An alliance of candidates linked to Iraq’s powerful Shia paramilitary groups was in second.

The alliance is headed by Hadi al-Amiri, a former minister of transport with close ties to Iran who became a senior commander of paramilitary fighters in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi performed poorly across majority Shia provinces that should have been his base of support.

Iraqis voted on Saturday in the first election since the defeat of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) inside the country. The vote was widely seen as a verdict on Abadi’s tenure and his pledge to be more inclusive of Iraq’s Sunni minority.

Turnout was 44.52 percent with 92 percent of votes counted, the Independent High Electoral Commission said – significantly lower than in previous elections.

Haider al-Abadi

Incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi heads the Nasr Coalition (Victory of Iraq), its name capitalising on his government’s victory over ISIL in 2017 [AFP]

  Abadi heads the Nasr Coalition (Victory of Iraq), its name capitalising on his government’s victory over ISIL in 2017.

Many analysts have seen the British-educated Abadi, a Shia who as prime minister nurtured ties with Washington and Tehran, as potentially winning a second term as prime minister.

“The country has just overcome ISIL which has affected the way voters see the election. Everyone is hoping for change and they see Abadi as a possible force for that change because of his victory over ISIL,” Ahmed Tariq, an Iraqi professor of international relations at Mosul University, told Al Jazeera ahead of the vote.

According to a recent nation-wide poll conducted in March, 79 percent of Iraqis accepted Abadi as prime minister.

Because he is seen as a rare ally of both the United States and Iran, some analysts say his continuation in government would nurture Iraq’s regional and international ties.

“Abadi is acceptable to all major stakeholders including regional powers, Iran and the US,” Fanar al-Hadad, a research fellow at the Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore, told Al Jazeera before the vote. “Everyone feels they can do business with him.”

Abadi has been mainly concerned with fending off Shia Muslim groups other than Sadr’s alliance, which are seeking to pull the country closer to Tehran.

He has therefore faced stiff competition from Hadi al-Amiri, a paramilitary commander heading the Fatah alliance, and Nouri al-Maliki, a former prime minister who is seen as a possible kingmaker in the vote.

Both leaders are closer than Abadi is to Iran, which has wide sway in Iraq as the primary Shia power in the region.

Muqtada al-Sadr

Iraqi Shia religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr heads the Sairoon Coalition and has led uprisings against US troops in Iraq [AFP]

  Sadr, who led uprisings against US troops, appeared to make a remarkable comeback in Iraq’s parliamentary election after being sidelined for years by Iranian-backed rivals.

He leads the al-Sairoon Coalition (The Marchers) that brings together his Sadrist Movement and the Iraqi Communist Party. The coalition has pushed an anti-corruption and anti-sectarian campaign.

According to the nation-wide poll conducted in March, 66 percent of the Iraqi people viewed Sadr favourably across most of Iraq’s provinces.

Sadr made his name leading two revolts against US forces in Iraq, drawing support from poor neighbourhoods of Baghdad and other cities. Washington called the Mehdi Army, the Shia militia loyal to Sadr, the biggest threat to Iraq’s security. In June 2014, Sadr rebranded the militia as the Peace Brigades.

Sadr is one of the few Shia leaders to keep a distance from Iran, and instead shares Saudi interest in countering Iranian influence in Iraq. Sadr sought to broaden his regional support, meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah last year.

Sadr, of Lebanese ancestry, comes from a family of Shia scholars. He is the fourth son of the late Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr, a highly regarded scholar throughout the Shia Muslim world.

Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr was murdered, along with two of his sons, allegedly by the government of Saddam Hussein – the former Iraqi president.

Sadr is also the son-in-law of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr. His father-in-law was executed by Iraqi authorities in 1980. Sadr’s cousin is Moussa al-Sadr, the Iranian-Lebanese founder of the Amal movement.

Despite his lineage and connections, he lacks the religious education and degrees required by Shia doctrine to take the title mujtahid – or a senior religious scholar – and he lacks the authority to issue religious edicts known as fatwas.

He rose to prominence in the unrest and chaos that erupted in Iraq after US troops toppled Saddam in 2003. Armed mostly with AK-47 assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, Sadr’s militia challenged the world’s most powerful military as it tried to stabilise Iraq.

Government formation

No one group is expected to win the 165 seats required for an outright majority. Instead, the bloc that wins the most seats will have to bring together a majority by getting the support of smaller alliances.

The process of choosing the next prime minister is expected to take months and will likely result in power being dispersed across different political parties with clashing interests.

If initial results are confirmed, Abadi may have to form a coalition with Sadr. Abadi will, in any case, remain in office retaining all his powers until a new prime minister is confirmed.

In the past, forming a government has taken up to eight months. In 2005, allegations of vote-rigging delayed the ratification of election results for weeks.

[bharatiyamedia-blog]

Donald Trump warns Tehran 'sanctions will quickly be elevated, considerably', claims Iran has breached two limits central to nuclear deal

http://tinyurl.com/y4huzrfa Washington: US President Donald Trump warned Tehran on Wednesday that sanctions would quickly be “elevated considerably,” as armed Iranian boats reportedly tried to grab a British oil tanker in Gulf waters. Trump’s sanctions warning, which he delivered through Twitter, got here as French President Emmanuel Macron’s high diplomatic advisor met with Iran’s president, winding up a day of talks in Tehran aimed toward saving a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Iran has lengthy been secretly “enriching,” in whole violation of the horrible 150 Billion Greenback deal made by John Kerry and the Obama Administration. Bear in mind, that deal was to run out in a brief variety of years. Sanctions will quickly be elevated, considerably! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2019 The 2015 accord between Iran and world powers promised sanctions reduction, financial advantages and an finish to worldwide isolation in return for stringent curbs on the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. Tehran says it has misplaced persistence with perceived inaction by European international locations greater than a yr after Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the settlement and began to impose punishing sanctions. US president Donald Trump displayed an govt order imposing recent sanctions on Iran  final week within the White Home in Washington. Reuters Tensions between Washington and Tehran have soared in current weeks, with the US blaming Iran for a number of assaults on tanker ships, and the Islamic republic taking pictures down an American surveillance drone. On Wednesday, armed Iranian boats tried to grab a British oil tanker however had been pushed off by a Royal Navy frigate, CNN reported. The Iranians ordered the tanker, which was crossing into the Strait of Hormuz space, to alter course and cease in Tehran’s close by waters, CNN mentioned, citing two American officers. A US plane shot video of the incident, which ended when the HMS Montrose, which was escorting the tanker, educated its weapons on the boats and efficiently warned them to again off, the channel mentioned. ‘Penalties’Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani had warned Britain of unspecified “penalties” on Wednesday over the detention of one of many nation’s oil tankers off Gibraltar. The Grace 1 tanker was halted final week by police and customs officers in Gibraltar, a British abroad territory on Spain’s southern tip, with assistance from a detachment of British Royal Marines. Iran condemned the detention as an “unlawful interception,” however Gibraltar officers mentioned that the cargo was believed to be destined for Syria, which is topic to European sanctions. Macron’s envoy Emmanuel Bonne met with Rouhani on Wednesday, who mentioned that Tehran had “utterly saved the trail of diplomacy and talks open,” in keeping with an announcement from his workplace. He known as on different events to the nuclear deal to “utterly implement their commitments” to maintain it alive. Bonne additionally met Rear-Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme Nationwide Safety Council, and International Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. His mission was “to try to open the dialogue house to keep away from an uncontrolled escalation and even an accident,” in keeping with French International Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Earlier than assembly with Bonne, Zarif mentioned “negotiations are by no means potential beneath strain,” in reference to US sanctions towards Iran. Pointing to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal, he added that the Europeans “should remedy that downside.” ‘Nuclear extortion’Bonne arrived in Tehran after Iran introduced on Monday it had surpassed 4.5 % uranium enrichment, above the three.67 % restrict beneath the accord, although nonetheless far under the 90 % obligatory for army functions. Earlier this month, it was confirmed that Iran surpassed 300 kilograms of enriched uranium reserves, one other restrict that was imposed by the deal. At Washington’s request, the UN’s nuclear watchdog held a particular assembly Wednesday at its Vienna headquarters. US delegate Jackie Wolcott instructed the gathering that Iran was engaged in “nuclear extortion.” Her Iranian counterpart Kazem Gharib Abadi hit again, calling it a “unhappy irony” that the assembly was convened at Washington’s request and claiming the present standoff was a results of the US’s “outlaw habits.” After Washington withdrew from the nuclear deal in Might 2018, it reimposed sanctions on Tehran, hitting the banking and oil sectors arduous. Because the Iranian financial system went into free fall, Tehran demanded that the opposite events, particularly the Europeans, ship promised financial advantages and assist it bypass the US sanctions. Nonetheless, it turned clear that this was no easy process, and Iran, whose financial system relies upon closely on oil exports — modified tack and indicated it could reshape its coverage of “strategic persistence.” In Might, a yr after Trump’s withdrawal, Rouhani mentioned Iran would roll again its commitments beneath the deal in levels each 60 days in an effort to drive the opposite events to ship on their aspect of the cut price. Your information to the most recent cricket World Cup tales, evaluation, experiences, opinions, stay updates and scores on https://www.firstpost.com/firstcricket/series/icc-cricket-world-cup-2019.html. 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[american-mosaic]

CRUISING WASHINGTON STATE’S WINE COUNTRY.

Eastern Washington is one of the best regions in the United States for growing grapes. There is a rich history of how the wine industry started here. Today some of the best wine globally is produced in this region. 

A LITTLE HISTORY, WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF TASTING. 

Wine grapes were -- along with apples -- the very first cultivated fruits in the Pacific Northwest. Initially planted here in 1827, both were cherished by early pioneering settlers, but whereas apples became a lucrative farm commodity early on, the grape's long and winding path to success was a bit rockier. Only in recent decades has both the art and science of viticulture (grape growing) and enology (wine making) really advanced to the point where Washington-grown grapes now share a wide reputation (along with apples) as some of the world's tastiest -- and the finest locally made wines now enjoy global esteem for their excellence.

Seed to Vine, Grape to Wine The first grapes cultivated here (and the wine that they led to) were those grown at Fort Vancouver on the north bank of the Columbia River. This new fur trading post was built in 1825 by the British Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) on a site selected by its manager, Dr. John McLoughlin (1784-1857), who thought that its flat terrain and fecund soil would support a farm that could feed his staff -- and among the various fruits and vegetables planted were grapes and apples.

Both fruits came about as a lucky result of a visitation -- probably by the HBC official, George Simpson (1792?-1860) -- on an inspection tour in November, 1826. Legend holds that: "A gentlemen ...  while at a party in London, put the seeds of the grapes and apples which he ate into his vest pocket. Soon afterwards he took a voyage to this country and left them here, and now they are greatly multiplied" (Whitman, Letters and Journals, September 12, 1836). Likely planted during the spring season following Simpson's arrival, the fort was soon receiving shipments of corks and bottles ordered along with other supplies. Overland and by Sea It was the opening of the Oregon Trail that brought the next wave of grape-growing when a number of early emigrants hauled various grape cuttings to the region in their covered wagons -- among the first being Henderson Luelling who babied his vine cuttings all the way out from Iowa. And even though the Isabella variety he'd nurtured was a native North American (Vituslabrusca) hybrid -- rather than the generally superior European (Vitusvinifera) type of wine-grape -- the nursery that he established in the Willamette Valley in 1847 helped other settlers get their homestead vineyards (and wine-making) started. In the northern Oregon Territories -- specifically the Puget Sound area -- a few other folks followed Luelling's example, and by 1854 there were three active nurseries that offered both vinifera and labrusca cuttings to locals. In 1872 that Civil War veteran  Lambert Evans (1836?-1917?) arrived in the area and after scouting around via his flat-bottomed skiff, settled on a Stretch Island land claim (near Olympia) and planted grapes and apples on his bluff. Then in 1889, Adam Eckert arrived from New York, bought 40  acres from Evans, founded yet another nursery, and planted Island Belle vines that turned out to be very well suited to the terroir (an area's specific soil characteristics and climate conditions). For the next three decades he supplied cuttings to locals. Willamette to Walla Walla Around 1859-1860 A. B. Roberts hauled grape stock up from the Willamette Valley and planted them along with numerous additional varieties that he imported from France. Around the same time, an Italian baker, Frank Orselli, began making and marketing wine from his shop. Over the next few years, others -- including Phillip Ritz and H. P. Isaacs -- joined in by making wine from grape varieties including Black Hamburg, Black Prince, Flame Tokay, and Sweetwater.

In 1876 Jean Marie Abadie produced 150 gallons of red and 400 of white wine, but in 1883 a 20-degrees-below-zero winter freeze destroyed the area's young grapevines. Then, at the turn of the century, a couple of Italian immigrants named Frank and Rose Leonetti settled in the area and planted Black Prince grapes on their farm and for the next half century they made wine for their family -- including a grandson who would, in due course, kick-start the regional wine biz. The Yakima and Wenatchee Valleys The Yakima River provided the irrigation required to transform the Yakima Valley's scrub-brush desert into a bountiful agricultural area and settlers wasted no time in testing the area's rich volcanic-ash soil's potential for grapes. As early as 1869 a vineyard was planted outside of Union Gap, and within a few years another vineyard in Wenatchee was productive enough to yield an annual total of 1,500 gallons of wine.

By the 1880s Johannisberg Riesling and Mission grapevines had been planted in the tiny town of Moxee. In 1889 H. S. Simmons planted the Zinfandel variety in Wenatchee and the fall harvest of 1893 yielded grapes of a quality that allowed him to make his first wine. Keep on the Sunnyside In 1891 the Sunnyside Canal irrigation project helped accelerate the growth in the Yakima Valley, and a decade later Elbert F. Blaine (1857-?) settled into the valley town of Grandview and -- as the manager of an irrigation company -- was soon touting the possibilities of a serious grape-growing and wine-making industry in the area. The following year of 1903 saw a subsidiary of the Northern Pacific Railroad called the Northwest Improvement Company plant some Kennewick land to various grape varieties.

In 1905 the United States Bureau of Reclamation began a series of irrigation projects that would help launch a new wave of plantings. That same year Blaine began producing wine from varieties including Black Prince, White Diamond, Zinfandel, and Concord. Prohibition Era Sunnyside was also, since 1902, the home of a lawyer named William B. Bridgman (1878-?) who, like Blaine, also managed an irrigation company and took an interest in grapes. In 1917 he planted several varieties of grapevines on some Snipes Mountain acreage near his Harrison Hill farm -- but, that seemed a risky move considering that the Washington State Legislature had enacted severe alcohol Prohibition laws in 1916. However, since the law still allowed for individuals to make small amounts of their own home-brew wine, demand for his grapes was strong. That same "prohibition effect" impacted other grape growers as well: The old Island Belle vines on Lambert Evans's farm were producing grapes that were now sought after by home winemakers and in 1918 a Seattle real estate agent named Charles Somers acquired land from Evans's widow and a new era began. The following year  the legislature ratified the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution and on January 16, 1920, Prohibition spread nationwide. Repeal the Grapes Washington was the 24th state to vote for Prohibition's Repeal, and the national social experiment finally ended with the adoption of the Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution on December 5, 1933. In the wake of that legal reform, a wave of new companies filed papers with the government to establish new commercial wineries. The first such "bonded" winery in the state was St. Charles Winery -- the firm founded by Somers (and his son C. W. "Bill" Somers) on Stretch Island. The 13th bonded winery was William Bridgman's Upland Winery in Sunnyside, which opened in November 1934 and whose 165 acres of vines produced an amazing 7,000 gallons of wine that first harvest season. That same year saw the rise of two other notable firms: Grandview's National Wine Company (aka Nawico) and Seattle's Pommerelle Winery (Dearborn Street) which, upon Repeal, shifted from making apple juice to apple wine. Grape Expectations The year 1935 saw the first attempt to organize the state's winemakers with the formation of the Washington Wine Producers Association -- and, interestingly, all if its charter members were wineries based in the "un-sunny side" of the state: St Charles Winery, Pommerelle Winery, Davis Winery (Stretch Island), Wright Winery (Everett), and Werberger Winery (Harstene Island). The future looked bright. By 1937 Washington was home to 28 wineries, and by 1938 there were 42 wineries. With all this increased activity, the Washington Wine Producers Association reorganized in 1938 as the Washington Wine Council and further strides were made to establish the region's grape and wine industries.

One promising development was the hiring of Dr. Walter J. Clore (1911-2003) as an assistant horticulturist at the Irrigated Agriculture Research Extension Center near the Yakima Valley town of Prosser. Upon the suggestion of Bridgman, Clore -- who the State Legislature would eventually declare "Father of the Washington State Wine Industry" -- launched the experimental planting of seven vinifera varieties along with 20 labrusca hybrids. That led to the systematic study of more than 250 grape varietals, and over the following 40 years Clore's advice about grapes, soil types, and other viticultural matters contributed immeasurably to the planning of many of the finest local vineyards. (The groundbreaking for the long-planned Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center -- an ambitious 17,537-square-foot educational facility on a 22-acre site along the Yakima River in Prosser -- will occur in 2009.) Interestingly, with all those many varieties being studied by Clore, it would be the old standby -- Concord grapes -- that would initially raise local expectations for the future of the biz in Eastern Washington. In 1949 that California's giant Ernest & Julio Gallo corporation purchased a remarkable 4,000 tons of the locally grown grapes and the subsequent popularity of Gallo's "Cold Duck" sparkling wine ensured many years of successful collaboration. But 1949 also had a down side: a particular icy winter that year (and again in 1950) effectively destroyed vineyards -- as well as the area's grape business. A Wine Renaissance The 1950s saw many changes on the Washington wine front -- with a major one being the ongoing evolution of local wine palates trending away from what one historian described as the "ghastly quality" of the unsophisticated wines produced here: Local "winemakers then produced fewer gallons of grape wine than of fruit and berry wines, 35 per cent of which were fortified with brandies to yield a strong, sweet domestic liquid dismissed by most wine drinkers as simply garbage for the 'wino' trade" (Clark, The Dry Years, 259). Proof of that qualitative shift was the fact that by 1960,  decreased demand accounted for a paltry four wineries remaining active in Washington. But the dawn of the 1960s soon brought a resurgence of activity: 1962 saw a gaggle of winemaking hobbyists led by University of Washington professor Lloyd S. Woodburne (1906-1992) forming the Associated Vintners group which planted a vineyard in Prosser. Believing that red vinifera grapes would never survive there, they opted for Northern European cool-climate varieties like Gewürztraminer and Riesling. Although time would prove their red-wine theory to be inaccurate, one of their Gewürztraminer wines was tasted in 1967 by America's venerated vintner, the California-based Beaulieu Vineyard's Andre Tchelistcheff (1901-1994), who deemed it "the best in the United States." Such accolades convinced Associated Vintners to go commercial and by 1984 the group had morphed into Woodinville's Columbia Winery -- by 2007, the seventh-largest in the state. Washington's largest winery for decades (until Columbia Crest surpassed its production volume) was Chateau Ste. Michelle -- a commercial giant that emerged in 1967 from the American Wine Growers company (which itself formed in 1954 with the merging of the old Concord and fruit-wine purveyors, Pomerelle and Nawico). Starting with a 15,000 gallon production of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Semillon, and Grenache Rosé wines -- under the direction of winemaker Howard Somers (1919-2005) (who'd grown up working at his family's St. Charles Winery), and with the mentoring of Tchelistcheff and Clore -- the winery today markets multi-million gallons per year of premium quality wine from its showcase Woodinville facility. Even so, its quality has not faltered: In 1979 Tchelistcheff was able to describe the Cabernet Sauvignon as "one of the best I've ever tasted." The Wine Buzz A lot of the buzz about Washington wines surrounds a number of vastly smaller wineries that have emerged since the 1970s. That was when a few "mom and pop" start-ups like Hinzerling Vineyards, Kiona Vineyards, Hogue Cellars, Chinook Wines, Barnard Griffin Wines, L'Ecole No 41, Mercer Ranch, McCrea Winery, and Portteus Vineyards got underway. The first to capture public attention was Preston Wine Cellars, which began in 1972 when Bill and Joann Preston planted their 50-acre vineyard outside of Pasco. In 1976 the couple opened what was the region's first "destination" winery and by 1979 their 180-acre vineyard was planted to cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, gamay noir, gewürztraminer, merlot, sauvignon blanc, syrah, and white riesling. The first winemaker to really make waves was Gary Figgins -- the grandson of those Walla Walla pioneers, Frank and Rose Leonetti. Figgins' winery, Leonetti Cellar, would go on to garner acclaim for many subsequent vintages -- but he initially shocked the wine world when his 1978 Cabernet Sauvignon earned kudos from the Winestate Wine Guide as the "best in the country," and later, when pitted in a competition against all the big California masters, was named "Best of The Best." Inspired by Figgins's activities, his friend Rick Small planted 26 acres of vineyards in 1976, founded the Woodward Canyon winery in 1981, and his subsequent Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet wines have won an intense following, many top awards and -- like Leonetti -- a well-earned status as one of the state's finest wineries. Another star in the Washington wine galaxy is Quilceda Creek Vintners, which was founded at Snohomish in 1979 by Alex Golitzin after receiving encouragement from his uncle, Tchelistcheff. Golitzin's Cabernets have consistently been jaw-droppers and in recent years his highly esteemed wines (the 2002 and 2003 vintages) made history as the first ever from Washington to win perfect "100" scores by the world's top critic, Robert Parker and his Wine Advocate publication. Washington Wine Commission In 1987 the Washington Wine Commission formed as a trade group and a dozen years later it established the Washington Wine Quality Alliance to help forge standards in winemaking and labeling. By 2016 the state boasted 14 unique and officially recognized grape-growing regions -- "appellations" or AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) -- designated by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau: Yakima Valley (1983), Walla Walla Valley (1984), Columbia Valley (1984), Puget Sound (1995), Red Mountain (2001), Columbia Gorge (2004), Horse Heaven Hills (2005), Wahluke Slope (2006), Rattlesnake Hills (2006), Snipes Mountain (2009), Lake Chelan (2009), Naches Heights (2011), Ancient Lakes (2012), and Lewis-Clark Valley (2016), with additional AVAs expected in the future. One interesting result is that even certain individual vineyards -- including Alder Ridge, Andrews-Horse Heaven Vineyard, the Benches at Wallula Vineyard, Canoe Ridge, Celilo, Champoux, Champoux Vineyards, Chandler Reach, Charbonneau, Ciel du Cheval, Connor Lee,  Klipsun, Pepper Bridge, Red Willow, Roza Berge, Saddle Mountain, and Sagemoor (among Washington's 43,000-plus acres planted to grape) -- have now (like those in various other internationally established wine regions) gained widespread notoriety, and bottles carrying those terms merit instant prestige. So the regional wine industry has certainly come a long way over the years from those early days of sweet fruit-based wines. Today numerous firms -- including Abeja, Andrew Will, Betz Family Winery, Buty, Cadence, Cayuse, DeLille Cellars, Dunham Cellars, Fidélitas, Hedges Family Estate, Januik, K Vintners, Long Shadows, Mark Ryan, Matthews Estate, McCrea Cellars, Owen Roe, Reininger, Rulo, Spring Valley Vineyard, Syncline Wine Cellars, Waters, and Walla Walla Vintners among others -- regularly astound experts, winning regional, national, and/or international awards. Now -- with 750-plus active wineries (and a new one slated to open about every 10  days) -- the local wine trade, with 350 growers and more than 14,000 jobs, currently contributes an estimated three billion dollars to the state's annual economy. Today Washington ranks second only to California in total wine production in the United States and our wine is being shipped to all 50 states and to at least 40 foreign countries -- so word about our "grape juice" has clearly gotten around. Cheers!

This essay made possible by:

The State of Washington Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation

Originally published in Wine in Washington, History

by: Peter Blecha, HistoryLink.org essay 8658 

http://american-mosaic.com

Note: This essay was updated on January 12, 2014, and on September 6, 2017.

[ismailbhagat-blog]

Famous Urdu Poetry of Jigar Moradabadi in Urdu Images

Famous Urdu Poetry of Jigar Moradabadi in Urdu Images

Famous Urdu Poetry and biography of Jigar Moradabadi

Quick overview

Born in: Benares State, British India

Birthday: April 6, 1890

Died: September 9, 1960

Real Name: Ali Sikandar

Father Name: Maulavi Ali Nazar

Jigar Murad Abadi, one of the leading poets of 20th century.

Early life and Education:

He had born in Benares State, British India on April 6, 1890. He got…

[party-hard-or-die]

U.S. in contact with Iraqi ex-foe Sadr after his surprise election…

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The United States has contacted members of a political bloc in Iraq led by a former foe, the Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, after his election win put him in a strong position to influence the formation of a new government, a top Sadr aide said.

FILE PHOTO: Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a news conference with Iraqi politician Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Hikma Current, in Najaf, Iraq May 17, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani/File Photo

The surprise victory by Sadr’s political alliance Sairoon in a parliamentary election last week has put Washington into an awkward position. His Mehdi Army militia fought violent battles against U.S. troops after Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.

Despite their past enmity, Washington and Sadr, an Iraqi nationalist, agree on their opposition to Iran’s deep influence in Iraq, where it arms, trains and funds Shi’ite militias and nurtures close ties with many politicians.

Dhiaa al-Asadi, a top aide to the cleric, said U.S. officials had used intermediaries to initiate contact with members of his Sairoon alliance.

“They asked what the position of the Sadrist movement will be when they come to power. Are they going to reinvent or invoke the Mahdi Army or reemploy them? Are they going to attack American forces in Iraq,” he told Reuters.

But according to Asadi there was no question of another Mahdi Army, which Sadr said he disbanded in 2008.

“There’s no return to square one. We are not intending on having any military force other than the official military force, police forces and security forces,” Asadi said.

Sadr cannot be prime minister himself since he did not run in the election, but has been meeting the leaders of other blocs and setting conditions on his support for candidates for prime minister. He says he wants someone who rejects sectarianism, foreign interference and corruption in Iraq.

Sairoon’s success could turn out to be a setback for Tehran and a boon for the United States, which seems happy to forget its past gripes with Sadr.

“We remain open to meet and work with the government that is formed and given that Sairoon won the plurality of seats and they’ll certainly make up a part of this government,” said a U.S. official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The U.S. is eager and willing to meet with a variety of people who will be involved in the government and Sadr will be a player in that.”

The United States is believed to have some 7,000 troops in Iraq now, though the Pentagon has only acknowledged 5,200 troops. They are mostly training and advising Iraqi forces.

Sadr, long seen by Iraqi and U.S. officials as an unpredictable maverick, made his surprise comeback by tapping popular resentment towards Iran and anger the Tehran-backed political elite in Baghdad which some voters say is corrupt.

“His political views seem to vary, to put it kindly,” said another U.S. official involved in the effort to understand what Sadr is doing. “At this point, we don’t know what he really wants.”

IRAN UNDER U.S. PRESSURE

Sadr’s re-ascendance in Baghdad will worry Iran especially as it grapples with U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out from Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers and to reimpose sanctions.

Tehran has skillfully manipulated Iraqi politics in its favour in the past, and may try to undermine Sadr’ attempts to shape a new government.

Just days after election results were announced, Qassem Soleimani, head of the foreign operations branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, arrived in Baghdad to meet politicians.

An Iraqi former senior official said Sadr would try to outfox Iran, but added that he believed Tehran would not tolerate any threats to its allies in Iraq.

“There are limits on how far he can go. At the end they (the Iranians) can control him. They give him a lot of room to manoeuvre … but eventually, when he challenges the Shi’ites and their interests, I think they will be very tough. They (the Iranians) have very many tools to undermine him.”

Sairoon has not ruled out forming a coalition with the bloc headed by Iran’s strongest ally in Iraq, paramilitary leader Hadi al-Amiri, as long as he abandons what Asadi says are sectarian policies and becomes an Iraqi nationalist.

“We did not have an official meeting with them (the Iranians). Sometimes we receive some calls that are related to what’s going on. But this cannot be considered a meeting or a discussion over any issue,” said Asadi.

The election dealt a blow to incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose Victory Alliance came in third. But Western diplomats and analysts say Abadi, a British-educated engineer, still has cards to play.

He could emerge as a compromise candidate – palatable to all sides because he managed the competing interests of the United States and Iran – inadvertent allies in the war against Islamic State – during his term in office.

“As of yet, no one has yet emerged as an alternative, not in a serious way,” said Ali al-Mawlawi, head of research at Baghdad-based Al-Bayan think-tank.

Additional reporting by Raya Jalabi in BAGHDAD and Yara Bayoumy and John Walcott in WASHINGTON; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky

The post U.S. in contact with Iraqi ex-foe Sadr after his surprise election… appeared first on World The News.

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[cleopatrarps]

U.S. in contact with Iraqi ex-foe Sadr after his surprise election…

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The United States has contacted members of a political bloc in Iraq led by a former foe, the Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, after his election win put him in a strong position to influence the formation of a new government, a top Sadr aide said.

FILE PHOTO: Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a news conference with Iraqi politician Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Hikma Current, in Najaf, Iraq May 17, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani/File Photo

The surprise victory by Sadr’s political alliance Sairoon in a parliamentary election last week has put Washington into an awkward position. His Mehdi Army militia fought violent battles against U.S. troops after Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.

Despite their past enmity, Washington and Sadr, an Iraqi nationalist, agree on their opposition to Iran’s deep influence in Iraq, where it arms, trains and funds Shi’ite militias and nurtures close ties with many politicians.

Dhiaa al-Asadi, a top aide to the cleric, said U.S. officials had used intermediaries to initiate contact with members of his Sairoon alliance.

“They asked what the position of the Sadrist movement will be when they come to power. Are they going to reinvent or invoke the Mahdi Army or reemploy them? Are they going to attack American forces in Iraq,” he told Reuters.

But according to Asadi there was no question of another Mahdi Army, which Sadr said he disbanded in 2008.

“There’s no return to square one. We are not intending on having any military force other than the official military force, police forces and security forces,” Asadi said.

Sadr cannot be prime minister himself since he did not run in the election, but has been meeting the leaders of other blocs and setting conditions on his support for candidates for prime minister. He says he wants someone who rejects sectarianism, foreign interference and corruption in Iraq.

Sairoon’s success could turn out to be a setback for Tehran and a boon for the United States, which seems happy to forget its past gripes with Sadr.

“We remain open to meet and work with the government that is formed and given that Sairoon won the plurality of seats and they’ll certainly make up a part of this government,” said a U.S. official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The U.S. is eager and willing to meet with a variety of people who will be involved in the government and Sadr will be a player in that.”

The United States is believed to have some 7,000 troops in Iraq now, though the Pentagon has only acknowledged 5,200 troops. They are mostly training and advising Iraqi forces.

Sadr, long seen by Iraqi and U.S. officials as an unpredictable maverick, made his surprise comeback by tapping popular resentment towards Iran and anger the Tehran-backed political elite in Baghdad which some voters say is corrupt.

“His political views seem to vary, to put it kindly,” said another U.S. official involved in the effort to understand what Sadr is doing. “At this point, we don’t know what he really wants.”

IRAN UNDER U.S. PRESSURE

Sadr’s re-ascendance in Baghdad will worry Iran especially as it grapples with U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out from Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers and to reimpose sanctions.

Tehran has skillfully manipulated Iraqi politics in its favour in the past, and may try to undermine Sadr’ attempts to shape a new government.

Just days after election results were announced, Qassem Soleimani, head of the foreign operations branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, arrived in Baghdad to meet politicians.

An Iraqi former senior official said Sadr would try to outfox Iran, but added that he believed Tehran would not tolerate any threats to its allies in Iraq.

“There are limits on how far he can go. At the end they (the Iranians) can control him. They give him a lot of room to manoeuvre … but eventually, when he challenges the Shi’ites and their interests, I think they will be very tough. They (the Iranians) have very many tools to undermine him.”

Sairoon has not ruled out forming a coalition with the bloc headed by Iran’s strongest ally in Iraq, paramilitary leader Hadi al-Amiri, as long as he abandons what Asadi says are sectarian policies and becomes an Iraqi nationalist.

“We did not have an official meeting with them (the Iranians). Sometimes we receive some calls that are related to what’s going on. But this cannot be considered a meeting or a discussion over any issue,” said Asadi.

The election dealt a blow to incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose Victory Alliance came in third. But Western diplomats and analysts say Abadi, a British-educated engineer, still has cards to play.

He could emerge as a compromise candidate – palatable to all sides because he managed the competing interests of the United States and Iran – inadvertent allies in the war against Islamic State – during his term in office.

“As of yet, no one has yet emerged as an alternative, not in a serious way,” said Ali al-Mawlawi, head of research at Baghdad-based Al-Bayan think-tank.

Additional reporting by Raya Jalabi in BAGHDAD and Yara Bayoumy and John Walcott in WASHINGTON; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky

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[newestbalance]

U.S. in contact with Iraqi ex-foe Sadr after his surprise election…

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The United States has contacted members of a political bloc in Iraq led by a former foe, the Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, after his election win put him in a strong position to influence the formation of a new government, a top Sadr aide said.

FILE PHOTO: Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a news conference with Iraqi politician Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Hikma Current, in Najaf, Iraq May 17, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani/File Photo

The surprise victory by Sadr’s political alliance Sairoon in a parliamentary election last week has put Washington into an awkward position. His Mehdi Army militia fought violent battles against U.S. troops after Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.

Despite their past enmity, Washington and Sadr, an Iraqi nationalist, agree on their opposition to Iran’s deep influence in Iraq, where it arms, trains and funds Shi’ite militias and nurtures close ties with many politicians.

Dhiaa al-Asadi, a top aide to the cleric, said U.S. officials had used intermediaries to initiate contact with members of his Sairoon alliance.

“They asked what the position of the Sadrist movement will be when they come to power. Are they going to reinvent or invoke the Mahdi Army or reemploy them? Are they going to attack American forces in Iraq,” he told Reuters.

But according to Asadi there was no question of another Mahdi Army, which Sadr said he disbanded in 2008.

“There’s no return to square one. We are not intending on having any military force other than the official military force, police forces and security forces,” Asadi said.

Sadr cannot be prime minister himself since he did not run in the election, but has been meeting the leaders of other blocs and setting conditions on his support for candidates for prime minister. He says he wants someone who rejects sectarianism, foreign interference and corruption in Iraq.

Sairoon’s success could turn out to be a setback for Tehran and a boon for the United States, which seems happy to forget its past gripes with Sadr.

“We remain open to meet and work with the government that is formed and given that Sairoon won the plurality of seats and they’ll certainly make up a part of this government,” said a U.S. official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The U.S. is eager and willing to meet with a variety of people who will be involved in the government and Sadr will be a player in that.”

The United States is believed to have some 7,000 troops in Iraq now, though the Pentagon has only acknowledged 5,200 troops. They are mostly training and advising Iraqi forces.

Sadr, long seen by Iraqi and U.S. officials as an unpredictable maverick, made his surprise comeback by tapping popular resentment towards Iran and anger the Tehran-backed political elite in Baghdad which some voters say is corrupt.

“His political views seem to vary, to put it kindly,” said another U.S. official involved in the effort to understand what Sadr is doing. “At this point, we don’t know what he really wants.”

IRAN UNDER U.S. PRESSURE

Sadr’s re-ascendance in Baghdad will worry Iran especially as it grapples with U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out from Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers and to reimpose sanctions.

Tehran has skillfully manipulated Iraqi politics in its favour in the past, and may try to undermine Sadr’ attempts to shape a new government.

Just days after election results were announced, Qassem Soleimani, head of the foreign operations branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, arrived in Baghdad to meet politicians.

An Iraqi former senior official said Sadr would try to outfox Iran, but added that he believed Tehran would not tolerate any threats to its allies in Iraq.

“There are limits on how far he can go. At the end they (the Iranians) can control him. They give him a lot of room to manoeuvre … but eventually, when he challenges the Shi’ites and their interests, I think they will be very tough. They (the Iranians) have very many tools to undermine him.”

Sairoon has not ruled out forming a coalition with the bloc headed by Iran’s strongest ally in Iraq, paramilitary leader Hadi al-Amiri, as long as he abandons what Asadi says are sectarian policies and becomes an Iraqi nationalist.

“We did not have an official meeting with them (the Iranians). Sometimes we receive some calls that are related to what’s going on. But this cannot be considered a meeting or a discussion over any issue,” said Asadi.

The election dealt a blow to incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose Victory Alliance came in third. But Western diplomats and analysts say Abadi, a British-educated engineer, still has cards to play.

He could emerge as a compromise candidate – palatable to all sides because he managed the competing interests of the United States and Iran – inadvertent allies in the war against Islamic State – during his term in office.

“As of yet, no one has yet emerged as an alternative, not in a serious way,” said Ali al-Mawlawi, head of research at Baghdad-based Al-Bayan think-tank.

Additional reporting by Raya Jalabi in BAGHDAD and Yara Bayoumy and John Walcott in WASHINGTON; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky

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[dragnews]

U.S. in contact with ex-foe Sadr after shock win in Iraq poll: aide

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The United States has contacted members of a political bloc headed by former foe Moqtada al-Sadr after his parliamentary election victory put the Shi’ite cleric in a strong position to influence the formation of a new government, a top aide said.

FILE PHOTO: Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a news conference with Iraqi politician Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Hikma Current, in Najaf, Iraq May 17, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani/File Photo

Sadr’s surprise win puts Washington in an awkward position. His Mehdi Army militia staged violent uprisings against U.S. troops after Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.

If Sadr has a strong say in picking a new prime minister, the United States may have to work with him to safeguard its interests in Iraq, one of its most important Arab allies, which also has close ties to Iran.

Dhiaa al-Asadi, a top Sadr aide, said there had been no direct talks with the Americans but intermediaries had been used to open channels with members of his Sairoon alliance.

“They asked what the position of the Sadrist movement will be when they come to power. Are they going to reinvent or invoke the Mahdi Army or reemploy them? Are they going to attack American forces in Iraq,” he told Reuters.

“There’s no return to square one. We are not intending on having any military force other than the official military force, police forces and security forces.”

The United States is believed to have some 7,000 troops in Iraq now, though the Pentagon has only acknowledged 5,200 troops. They are mostly training and advising Iraqi forces.

Washington and Sadr, an Iraqi nationalist, are both opposed to Iran’s deep influence in Iraq, where it arms, trains and funds Shi’ite militias and nurtures close ties with many politicians.

Sadr made his surprise comeback by tapping popular resentment toward Iran and what some voters say is a corrupt political elite in Baghdad that it backs.

IRAN UNDER U.S. PRESSURE

The United States has threatened “the strongest sanctions in history” against Iran unless it makes sweeping changes, including dropping its nuclear program and pulling out of the Syrian civil war.

That will likely prompt Tehran to defend its interests fiercely in Iraq, where it vies with Washington for influence.

Sairoon extended an invitation to the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad to attend a meeting of senior diplomats last week. The envoy apologized and said he could not make it, said Asadi.

Sadr has been meeting the leaders of several blocs and setting conditions on his support for candidates for prime minister. He says he wants someone who rejects sectarianism, foreign interference and corruption in Iraq.

Sadr will not become premier as he did not run in the election.

His attempts to shape any future government could be undermined by Iran, which has skillfully manipulated Iraqi politics in its favor in the past.

Just days after election results were announced, Qassem Soleimani, head of the foreign operations branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, arrived in Baghdad to meet politicians.

“Soleimani came to weaken the blocs. He is working to break down the alliances,” said an adviser to Iraq’s government.

An Iraqi former senior official said Sadr would try to outfox Iran, but added that Tehran would not tolerate any threats to Shi’ite allies who have sidelined Sadr for years.

“There are limits on how far he can go. At the end they (the Iranians) can control him. They give him a lot of room to maneuver… But eventually, when he challenges the Shi’ites and their interests, I think they will be very tough. They (the Iranians) have very many tools to undermine him.”

Sadr’s bloc has not ruled out forming a coalition with the bloc headed by Iran’s strongest ally, paramilitary leader Hadi al-Amiri, as long as he abandons what Asadi says are sectarian policies and becomes an Iraqi nationalist.

“We did not have an official meeting with them (the Iranians). Sometimes we receive some calls that are related to what’s going on. But this cannot be considered a meeting or a discussion over any issue,” said Asadi.

The election dealt a blow to incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose Victory Alliance came in third. But Western diplomats and analysts say Abadi, a British-educated engineer, still has cards to play.

He appears to be emerging as a compromise candidate palatable to all sides because he has managed the competing interests of the United States and Iran – inadvertent allies in the war against Islamic State – during his term in office.

“As of yet, no one has yet emerged as an alternative, not in a serious way,” said Ali al-Mawlawi, head of research at Baghdad-based Al-Bayan think-tank.

Additional reporting by Raya Jalabi; Editing by Gareth Jones

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[dani-qrt]

Populist cleric Sadr all but wins Iraq election

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States, has all but won Iraq’s parliamentary election, the electoral commission said, in a surprise turn of fortune for the Shi’ite leader.

Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr attends to cast his vote at a polling station during the parliamentary election in Najaf, Iraq May 12, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani

In the first election since Islamic State was defeated in the country, Iran-backed Shi’ite militia chief Hadi al-Amiri’s bloc was in second place, while Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, once seen as the front-runner, trailed in third.

The preliminary results were based on a count of more than 91 percent of the votes cast in 16 of Iraq’s 18 provinces.

Sadr’s bloc did not run in the remaining two provinces, Kurdish Dohuk and the ethnically-mixed oil province of Kirkuk. The results there, which may be delayed due to tensions between local parties, will not affect Sadr’s standing.

Unlike Abadi, a rare ally of both the United States and Iran, Sadr is an opponent of both countries, which have wielded influence in Iraq since a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and thrust the Shi’ite majority into power.

Sadr has led two uprisings against U.S. forces in Iraq and is one of the few Shi’ite leaders to distance himself from Iran.

Despite the election setback, Abadi might still be granted a second term in office by parliament and on Monday he called on all political blocs to respect the results and suggested he was willing to work with Sadr to form a government.

“We are ready to work and cooperate in forming the strongest government for Iraq, free of corruption,” Abadi said in a live televised address. Corruption has been at the top of Sadr’s agenda for several years.

Projecting himself as an Iraqi nationalist, Sadr has a zealous following among the young, poor and dispossessed, but he had been sidelined by influential Iran-backed figures.

He cannot become prime minister as he did not run in the election, though his apparent victory puts him in a position to pick someone for the job.

But even then, his bloc might not necessarily form the next government. Whoever wins the most seats must negotiate a coalition government in order to have a majority in parliament. The government should be formed within 90 days of the official results.

Saturday’s election is the first since the defeat of Islamic State last year. The group overran a third of Iraq in 2014.

Turnout was 44.52 percent with 92 percent of votes counted, the Independent High Electoral Commission said, the lowest participation rate in Iraq’s post-Saddam history. Full results are due to be officially announced later on Monday.

ELECTION CALCULUS

Sadr and Amiri both came in first in four of the 10 provinces where votes were counted, but the cleric’s bloc won significantly more votes in the capital, Baghdad, which has the highest number of seats.

A document provided to Reuters by a candidate in Baghdad that was also circulating among journalists and analysts showed results from all 18 provinces.

Reuters could not independently verify the document’s authenticity but the results in it for the 16 announced provinces were in line with those announced by the commission.

Reuters calculations based on the document showed Sadr had won the nationwide popular vote with over 1.3 million votes and gained around 54 of parliament’s 329 seats.

Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr visits his father’s grave after parliamentary election results were announced, in Najaf, Iraq May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani

He was followed by Amiri with more than 1.2 million votes, translating into around 47 seats, and Abadi with more than 1 million votes and about 42 seats. Former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a close ally of Iran like Amiri, came in fourth with around 25 seats.

The remaining uncounted ballots, mostly from Iraqis abroad, the security services, and internally displaced people voting in camps and elsewhere, might change the final seat tallies but only marginally.

Winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee that Sadr will be able to hand-pick a prime minister. The other winning blocs would have to agree on the nomination.

In a 2010 election, Vice President Ayad Allawi’s group won the largest number of seats, albeit with a narrow margin, but he was blocked from becoming premier for which he blamed Tehran.

NEW GOVERNMENT

A similar fate could befall Sadr. Iran has publicly stated it will not allow his bloc to govern.

“We will not allow liberals and communists to govern in Iraq,” Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in February.

His statement, which sparked criticism by Iraqi figures, was referring to the electoral alliance between Sadr, the Iraqi Communist Party and other secular groups which joined protests organised by Sadr in 2016 to press the government to see through a move to stem endemic corruption.

Iraqi Communist Party Secretary General Raed Fahmy told Reuters the vote in favour of Sadr’s list, backed by his group, “is a clear message that we must have balanced relations with all (countries) based on non-interference in Iraq’s internal affairs”.

“Everybody is welcome to provide support to Iraq, but not at the expense of its sovereignty and independence,” he added.

Slideshow (7 Images)

During the campaign, frustrated Iraqis of all shades complained about their political elite’s systematic patronage, bad governance and corruption, saying they did not receive any benefits of their country’s oil wealth.

“This vote is a clear message that the people want to change the system of governance that has produced corruption and weakened state institutions,” said Fahmy.

Iraq has been ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries, with high unemployment, poverty, weak public institutions and crumbling infrastructure despite high oil revenues for many years. Endemic corruption has eaten at the government’s financial resources.

Fahmy told his party’s website that Abadi’s bloc was “closer” to Sadr’s than others.

BALANCING ACT

Sadr derives much of his authority from his family. His father, highly respected Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, was killed in 1999 for defying Saddam Hussein. His father’s cousin, Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr, was killed by Saddam in 1980.

Celebrations erupted on the streets of Baghdad after the commission’s announcement, with thousands of Sadr’s supporters singing, chanting, dancing and setting off fireworks while carrying his picture and waving Iraqi flags.

Many chanted “Iran out”.

Whoever wins the election will have to contend with the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal, a move Iraqis fear could turn their country into a theatre of conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Abadi, a British-educated engineer, came to power four years ago after Islamic State seized a third of Iraq’s territory. He received U.S. military support that was helped the victory of Iraqi security forces over the Sunni militant group, and gave free rein to Iran to back Shi’ite militias fighting on the same side.

If parliament does grant him a second term, Abadi will remain under pressure to maintain the balancing act between Washington and Tehran.

Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Maher Chmaytelli; Additional reporting by Raya Jalabi in Erbil; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Samia Nakhoul, William Maclean and Richard Balmforth

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[simonothen-blog]

Iraq vote: Initial results show Muqtada al-Sadr leading

Iraq vote: Initial results show Muqtada al-Sadr leading

If initial results are confirmed, British-educated PM Abadi may have to form a coalition with Shia religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr [Reuters]

The political coalition of influential Shia religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr took an early lead in Iraq’s national elections in partial returns announced late on Sunday by the Iraqi electoral commission.

An alliance of candidates linked to Iraq’s…

[newestbalance]

U.S. in contact with ex-foe Sadr after shock win in Iraq poll: aide

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The United States has contacted members of a political bloc headed by former foe Moqtada al-Sadr after his parliamentary election victory put the Shi’ite cleric in a strong position to influence the formation of a new government, a top aide said.

FILE PHOTO: Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a news conference with Iraqi politician Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Hikma Current, in Najaf, Iraq May 17, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani/File Photo

Sadr’s surprise win puts Washington in an awkward position. His Mehdi Army militia staged violent uprisings against U.S. troops after Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.

If Sadr has a strong say in picking a new prime minister, the United States may have to work with him to safeguard its interests in Iraq, one of its most important Arab allies, which also has close ties to Iran.

Dhiaa al-Asadi, a top Sadr aide, said there had been no direct talks with the Americans but intermediaries had been used to open channels with members of his Sairoon alliance.

“They asked what the position of the Sadrist movement will be when they come to power. Are they going to reinvent or invoke the Mahdi Army or reemploy them? Are they going to attack American forces in Iraq,” he told Reuters.

“There’s no return to square one. We are not intending on having any military force other than the official military force, police forces and security forces.”

The United States is believed to have some 7,000 troops in Iraq now, though the Pentagon has only acknowledged 5,200 troops. They are mostly training and advising Iraqi forces.

Washington and Sadr, an Iraqi nationalist, are both opposed to Iran’s deep influence in Iraq, where it arms, trains and funds Shi’ite militias and nurtures close ties with many politicians.

Sadr made his surprise comeback by tapping popular resentment toward Iran and what some voters say is a corrupt political elite in Baghdad that it backs.

IRAN UNDER U.S. PRESSURE

The United States has threatened “the strongest sanctions in history” against Iran unless it makes sweeping changes, including dropping its nuclear program and pulling out of the Syrian civil war.

That will likely prompt Tehran to defend its interests fiercely in Iraq, where it vies with Washington for influence.

Sairoon extended an invitation to the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad to attend a meeting of senior diplomats last week. The envoy apologized and said he could not make it, said Asadi.

Sadr has been meeting the leaders of several blocs and setting conditions on his support for candidates for prime minister. He says he wants someone who rejects sectarianism, foreign interference and corruption in Iraq.

Sadr will not become premier as he did not run in the election.

His attempts to shape any future government could be undermined by Iran, which has skillfully manipulated Iraqi politics in its favor in the past.

Just days after election results were announced, Qassem Soleimani, head of the foreign operations branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, arrived in Baghdad to meet politicians.

“Soleimani came to weaken the blocs. He is working to break down the alliances,” said an adviser to Iraq’s government.

An Iraqi former senior official said Sadr would try to outfox Iran, but added that Tehran would not tolerate any threats to Shi’ite allies who have sidelined Sadr for years.

“There are limits on how far he can go. At the end they (the Iranians) can control him. They give him a lot of room to maneuver… But eventually, when he challenges the Shi’ites and their interests, I think they will be very tough. They (the Iranians) have very many tools to undermine him.”

Sadr’s bloc has not ruled out forming a coalition with the bloc headed by Iran’s strongest ally, paramilitary leader Hadi al-Amiri, as long as he abandons what Asadi says are sectarian policies and becomes an Iraqi nationalist.

“We did not have an official meeting with them (the Iranians). Sometimes we receive some calls that are related to what’s going on. But this cannot be considered a meeting or a discussion over any issue,” said Asadi.

The election dealt a blow to incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose Victory Alliance came in third. But Western diplomats and analysts say Abadi, a British-educated engineer, still has cards to play.

He appears to be emerging as a compromise candidate palatable to all sides because he has managed the competing interests of the United States and Iran – inadvertent allies in the war against Islamic State – during his term in office.

“As of yet, no one has yet emerged as an alternative, not in a serious way,” said Ali al-Mawlawi, head of research at Baghdad-based Al-Bayan think-tank.

Additional reporting by Raya Jalabi; Editing by Gareth Jones

The post U.S. in contact with ex-foe Sadr after shock win in Iraq poll: aide appeared first on World The News.

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[cleopatrarps]

U.S. in contact with ex-foe Sadr after shock win in Iraq poll: aide

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The United States has contacted members of a political bloc headed by former foe Moqtada al-Sadr after his parliamentary election victory put the Shi’ite cleric in a strong position to influence the formation of a new government, a top aide said.

FILE PHOTO: Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a news conference with Iraqi politician Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Hikma Current, in Najaf, Iraq May 17, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani/File Photo

Sadr’s surprise win puts Washington in an awkward position. His Mehdi Army militia staged violent uprisings against U.S. troops after Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.

If Sadr has a strong say in picking a new prime minister, the United States may have to work with him to safeguard its interests in Iraq, one of its most important Arab allies, which also has close ties to Iran.

Dhiaa al-Asadi, a top Sadr aide, said there had been no direct talks with the Americans but intermediaries had been used to open channels with members of his Sairoon alliance.

“They asked what the position of the Sadrist movement will be when they come to power. Are they going to reinvent or invoke the Mahdi Army or reemploy them? Are they going to attack American forces in Iraq,” he told Reuters.

“There’s no return to square one. We are not intending on having any military force other than the official military force, police forces and security forces.”

The United States is believed to have some 7,000 troops in Iraq now, though the Pentagon has only acknowledged 5,200 troops. They are mostly training and advising Iraqi forces.

Washington and Sadr, an Iraqi nationalist, are both opposed to Iran’s deep influence in Iraq, where it arms, trains and funds Shi’ite militias and nurtures close ties with many politicians.

Sadr made his surprise comeback by tapping popular resentment toward Iran and what some voters say is a corrupt political elite in Baghdad that it backs.

IRAN UNDER U.S. PRESSURE

The United States has threatened “the strongest sanctions in history” against Iran unless it makes sweeping changes, including dropping its nuclear program and pulling out of the Syrian civil war.

That will likely prompt Tehran to defend its interests fiercely in Iraq, where it vies with Washington for influence.

Sairoon extended an invitation to the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad to attend a meeting of senior diplomats last week. The envoy apologized and said he could not make it, said Asadi.

Sadr has been meeting the leaders of several blocs and setting conditions on his support for candidates for prime minister. He says he wants someone who rejects sectarianism, foreign interference and corruption in Iraq.

Sadr will not become premier as he did not run in the election.

His attempts to shape any future government could be undermined by Iran, which has skillfully manipulated Iraqi politics in its favor in the past.

Just days after election results were announced, Qassem Soleimani, head of the foreign operations branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, arrived in Baghdad to meet politicians.

“Soleimani came to weaken the blocs. He is working to break down the alliances,” said an adviser to Iraq’s government.

An Iraqi former senior official said Sadr would try to outfox Iran, but added that Tehran would not tolerate any threats to Shi’ite allies who have sidelined Sadr for years.

“There are limits on how far he can go. At the end they (the Iranians) can control him. They give him a lot of room to maneuver… But eventually, when he challenges the Shi’ites and their interests, I think they will be very tough. They (the Iranians) have very many tools to undermine him.”

Sadr’s bloc has not ruled out forming a coalition with the bloc headed by Iran’s strongest ally, paramilitary leader Hadi al-Amiri, as long as he abandons what Asadi says are sectarian policies and becomes an Iraqi nationalist.

“We did not have an official meeting with them (the Iranians). Sometimes we receive some calls that are related to what’s going on. But this cannot be considered a meeting or a discussion over any issue,” said Asadi.

The election dealt a blow to incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose Victory Alliance came in third. But Western diplomats and analysts say Abadi, a British-educated engineer, still has cards to play.

He appears to be emerging as a compromise candidate palatable to all sides because he has managed the competing interests of the United States and Iran – inadvertent allies in the war against Islamic State – during his term in office.

“As of yet, no one has yet emerged as an alternative, not in a serious way,” said Ali al-Mawlawi, head of research at Baghdad-based Al-Bayan think-tank.

Additional reporting by Raya Jalabi; Editing by Gareth Jones

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[newestbalance]

Populist cleric Sadr all but wins Iraq election

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States, has all but won Iraq’s parliamentary election, the electoral commission said, in a surprise turn of fortune for the Shi’ite leader.

Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr attends to cast his vote at a polling station during the parliamentary election in Najaf, Iraq May 12, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani

In the first election since Islamic State was defeated in the country, Iran-backed Shi’ite militia chief Hadi al-Amiri’s bloc was in second place, while Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, once seen as the front-runner, trailed in third.

The preliminary results were based on a count of more than 91 percent of the votes cast in 16 of Iraq’s 18 provinces.

Sadr’s bloc did not run in the remaining two provinces, Kurdish Dohuk and the ethnically-mixed oil province of Kirkuk. The results there, which may be delayed due to tensions between local parties, will not affect Sadr’s standing.

Unlike Abadi, a rare ally of both the United States and Iran, Sadr is an opponent of both countries, which have wielded influence in Iraq since a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and thrust the Shi’ite majority into power.

Sadr has led two uprisings against U.S. forces in Iraq and is one of the few Shi’ite leaders to distance himself from Iran.

Despite the election setback, Abadi might still be granted a second term in office by parliament and on Monday he called on all political blocs to respect the results and suggested he was willing to work with Sadr to form a government.

“We are ready to work and cooperate in forming the strongest government for Iraq, free of corruption,” Abadi said in a live televised address. Corruption has been at the top of Sadr’s agenda for several years.

Projecting himself as an Iraqi nationalist, Sadr has a zealous following among the young, poor and dispossessed, but he had been sidelined by influential Iran-backed figures.

He cannot become prime minister as he did not run in the election, though his apparent victory puts him in a position to pick someone for the job.

But even then, his bloc might not necessarily form the next government. Whoever wins the most seats must negotiate a coalition government in order to have a majority in parliament. The government should be formed within 90 days of the official results.

Saturday’s election is the first since the defeat of Islamic State last year. The group overran a third of Iraq in 2014.

Turnout was 44.52 percent with 92 percent of votes counted, the Independent High Electoral Commission said, the lowest participation rate in Iraq’s post-Saddam history. Full results are due to be officially announced later on Monday.

ELECTION CALCULUS

Sadr and Amiri both came in first in four of the 10 provinces where votes were counted, but the cleric’s bloc won significantly more votes in the capital, Baghdad, which has the highest number of seats.

A document provided to Reuters by a candidate in Baghdad that was also circulating among journalists and analysts showed results from all 18 provinces.

Reuters could not independently verify the document’s authenticity but the results in it for the 16 announced provinces were in line with those announced by the commission.

Reuters calculations based on the document showed Sadr had won the nationwide popular vote with over 1.3 million votes and gained around 54 of parliament’s 329 seats.

Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr visits his father’s grave after parliamentary election results were announced, in Najaf, Iraq May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani

He was followed by Amiri with more than 1.2 million votes, translating into around 47 seats, and Abadi with more than 1 million votes and about 42 seats. Former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a close ally of Iran like Amiri, came in fourth with around 25 seats.

The remaining uncounted ballots, mostly from Iraqis abroad, the security services, and internally displaced people voting in camps and elsewhere, might change the final seat tallies but only marginally.

Winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee that Sadr will be able to hand-pick a prime minister. The other winning blocs would have to agree on the nomination.

In a 2010 election, Vice President Ayad Allawi’s group won the largest number of seats, albeit with a narrow margin, but he was blocked from becoming premier for which he blamed Tehran.

NEW GOVERNMENT

A similar fate could befall Sadr. Iran has publicly stated it will not allow his bloc to govern.

“We will not allow liberals and communists to govern in Iraq,” Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in February.

His statement, which sparked criticism by Iraqi figures, was referring to the electoral alliance between Sadr, the Iraqi Communist Party and other secular groups which joined protests organised by Sadr in 2016 to press the government to see through a move to stem endemic corruption.

Iraqi Communist Party Secretary General Raed Fahmy told Reuters the vote in favour of Sadr’s list, backed by his group, “is a clear message that we must have balanced relations with all (countries) based on non-interference in Iraq’s internal affairs”.

“Everybody is welcome to provide support to Iraq, but not at the expense of its sovereignty and independence,” he added.

Slideshow (7 Images)

During the campaign, frustrated Iraqis of all shades complained about their political elite’s systematic patronage, bad governance and corruption, saying they did not receive any benefits of their country’s oil wealth.

“This vote is a clear message that the people want to change the system of governance that has produced corruption and weakened state institutions,” said Fahmy.

Iraq has been ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries, with high unemployment, poverty, weak public institutions and crumbling infrastructure despite high oil revenues for many years. Endemic corruption has eaten at the government’s financial resources.

Fahmy told his party’s website that Abadi’s bloc was “closer” to Sadr’s than others.

BALANCING ACT

Sadr derives much of his authority from his family. His father, highly respected Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, was killed in 1999 for defying Saddam Hussein. His father’s cousin, Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr, was killed by Saddam in 1980.

Celebrations erupted on the streets of Baghdad after the commission’s announcement, with thousands of Sadr’s supporters singing, chanting, dancing and setting off fireworks while carrying his picture and waving Iraqi flags.

Many chanted “Iran out”.

Whoever wins the election will have to contend with the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal, a move Iraqis fear could turn their country into a theatre of conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Abadi, a British-educated engineer, came to power four years ago after Islamic State seized a third of Iraq’s territory. He received U.S. military support that was helped the victory of Iraqi security forces over the Sunni militant group, and gave free rein to Iran to back Shi’ite militias fighting on the same side.

If parliament does grant him a second term, Abadi will remain under pressure to maintain the balancing act between Washington and Tehran.

Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Maher Chmaytelli; Additional reporting by Raya Jalabi in Erbil; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Samia Nakhoul, William Maclean and Richard Balmforth

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[cleopatrarps]

Cleric Sadr, in surprise comeback, seems set to win Iraq election

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Nationalist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States, led in Iraq’s parliamentary election with more than half the votes counted on Monday, the electoral commission said, in a surprise turn of fortune for the Shi’ite leader.

In the first election since Islamic State was defeated in the country, Shi’ite militia chief Hadi al-Amiri’s bloc, which is backed by Iran, was in second place, while Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, once seen as the front-runner, trailed in third position.

The preliminary results were based on a count of more than 95 percent of the votes cast in 10 of Iraq’s 18 provinces.

Unlike Abadi, a rare ally of both the United States and Iran, Sadr is an opponent of both of the countries which have wielded influence in Iraq since a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein and ushered the Shi’ite majority to power.

Sadr has led two uprisings against U.S. forces in Iraq and is one of the few Shi’ite leaders to distance himself from Iran.

Potraying himself as an Iraqi nationalist, Sadr has a zealous following among the young, poor and dispossessed, but he had been sidelined by influential Iranian-backed figures.

He can not become prime minister as he did not run in the election, though his apparent victory puts him in a position to pick someone for the job.

But even then his bloc might not necessarily form the next government since whoever wins the most seats must negotiate a coalition government in order to have a majority in parliament. The government should be formed within 90 days of the official results.

The election held on Saturday is the first since the defeat of Islamic State, with the capture of its de facto capital Mosul, last year. The group overran a third of Iraq in 2014.

Turnout was 44.52 percent with 92 percent of votes counted, the Independent High Electoral Commission said – that was significantly lower than in previous elections. Full results are due to be officially announced later on Monday.

Sadr and Amiri both came in first in four of the 10 provinces where votes were counted, but the cleric’s bloc won significantly more votes in the capital, Baghdad, which has the highest number of seats.

A document provided to Reuters by a candidate in Baghdad that was also circulating among journalists and analysts showed results from all 18 provinces.

Reuters could not independently verify the document’s authenticity but the results in it showed Sadr had won the nationwide popular vote with more than 1.3 million votes and gained 54 of parliament’s 329 seats.

He was followed by Amiri with more than 1.2 million votes, translating into 47 seats, and Abadi with more than 1 million votes and 42 seats, according to calculations made by Reuters based on the document. Ex-Prime Miniser Nuri al-Maliki, a close ally of Iran like Amiri, came in fourth with 25 seats.

‘IRAN OUT’

Winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee that Sadr will be able to hand-pick a prime minister. The other winning blocs would have to agree on the nomination.

In a 2010 election, Vice President Ayad Allawi’s group won the largest number of seats, albeit with a narrow margin, but he was blocked from becoming prime minister for which he blamed Tehran.

And a similar fate could befall Sadr. Iran has publicly stated it would not allow his bloc to govern and may try to form a governing coalition between its allies, Amiri and Maliki.

“We will not allow liberals and communists to govern in Iraq,” Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in February.

His statement, which sparked criticism by Iraqi figures, was referring to the electoral alliance between Sadr, the Iraqi Communist Party and other secular groups who joined protests organized by Sadr in 2016 to press the government to see through a move to stem endemic corruption.

Iraqi Communist Party Secretary General Raed Fahmy told Reuters the vote in favor of the Sadrist list, backed by his group, ‘’is is a clear message that we must have balanced relations with all (foreign countries) based non-interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.’’

‘’Everybody is welcome to provide support to Iraq, but not at the expense of its sovereignty and independence,’’ he added.

Iraqi supporters of Sairun list celebrate with portraits of Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, after results of Iraq’s parliamentary election were announced in Baghdad, Iraq May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani

During the campaign, frustrated Iraqis of all shades complained about their political elite’s systematic patronage, bad governance and corruption, saying they didn’t receive any benefits of their country’s oil wealth.

‘’The importance of this vote is that it is a clear message that the people wants to change the system of governance which has produced corruption and weakened state institutions,’’ said Fahmy. ‘’It is a message to provide services to the people, health and education, and to reduce social disparities.’’

Iraq has been ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries, with high unemployment, rife poverty, weak public institutions and bad services despite high oil revenues for many years. Endemic corruption has eaten at the government’s financial resources.

Sadr derives much of his authority from his family. Sadr’s father, highly respected Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, was murdered in 1999 for defying Saddam Hussein. His father’s cousin, Mohammed Baqir, was killed by Saddam in 1980.

Celebrations erupted on the streets of Baghdad after the commission’s announcement, with thousands of Sadr’s supporters singing, chanting, dancing and setting off fireworks while carrying his picture and waving Iraqi flags.

Many of his supporters chanted “Iran out”.

BALANCING ACT

Whoever wins the election will have to contend with the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to quit Iran’s nuclear deal, a move Iraqis fear could turn their country into a theater of conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Abadi, a British-educated engineer who came to power four years ago after Islamic State seized a third of Iraq’s territory, received U.S. military support for Iraq’s army to defeat the Sunni Muslim militant group even as he gave free rein to Iran to back Shi’ite militias fighting on the same side.

Viewed as a frontrunner before the election, his rivals were seen as Maliki and Amiri, both closer than Abadi to Iran, which has wide sway in Iraq as the primary Shi’ite power in the region.

If parliament chooses to grant him a second term, Abadi will remain under pressure to maintain that balancing act amid tensions between Washington and Tehran over the nuclear accord.

Abadi was seen by some Iraqis as lacking charisma and as ineffective. He had no powerful political machine of his own when he took office.

Slideshow (6 Images)

But the defeat of Islamic State and Abadi’s campaign to eradicate Iraq’s rampant corruption improved his standing.

Amiri’s Badr organization played a key role in the battle against Islamic State. But some Iraqis resent his close ties to Tehran. The dissident-turned-militia leader spent more than two decades fighting Saddam from exile in Iran.

Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Additional reporting by Huda Majeed, and Reuters Video News in Baghdad and Raya Jalabi in Erbil; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein and Michael Georgy; Editing by Samia Nakhoul, William Maclean and Richard Balmforth

The post Cleric Sadr, in surprise comeback, seems set to win Iraq election appeared first on World The News.

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[party-hard-or-die]

Cleric Sadr, in surprise comeback, seems set to win Iraq election

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Nationalist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States, led in Iraq’s parliamentary election with more than half the votes counted on Monday, the electoral commission said, in a surprise turn of fortune for the Shi’ite leader.

In the first election since Islamic State was defeated in the country, Shi’ite militia chief Hadi al-Amiri’s bloc, which is backed by Iran, was in second place, while Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, once seen as the front-runner, trailed in third position.

The preliminary results were based on a count of more than 95 percent of the votes cast in 10 of Iraq’s 18 provinces.

Unlike Abadi, a rare ally of both the United States and Iran, Sadr is an opponent of both of the countries which have wielded influence in Iraq since a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein and ushered the Shi’ite majority to power.

Sadr has led two uprisings against U.S. forces in Iraq and is one of the few Shi’ite leaders to distance himself from Iran.

Potraying himself as an Iraqi nationalist, Sadr has a zealous following among the young, poor and dispossessed, but he had been sidelined by influential Iranian-backed figures.

He can not become prime minister as he did not run in the election, though his apparent victory puts him in a position to pick someone for the job.

But even then his bloc might not necessarily form the next government since whoever wins the most seats must negotiate a coalition government in order to have a majority in parliament. The government should be formed within 90 days of the official results.

The election held on Saturday is the first since the defeat of Islamic State, with the capture of its de facto capital Mosul, last year. The group overran a third of Iraq in 2014.

Turnout was 44.52 percent with 92 percent of votes counted, the Independent High Electoral Commission said – that was significantly lower than in previous elections. Full results are due to be officially announced later on Monday.

Sadr and Amiri both came in first in four of the 10 provinces where votes were counted, but the cleric’s bloc won significantly more votes in the capital, Baghdad, which has the highest number of seats.

A document provided to Reuters by a candidate in Baghdad that was also circulating among journalists and analysts showed results from all 18 provinces.

Reuters could not independently verify the document’s authenticity but the results in it showed Sadr had won the nationwide popular vote with more than 1.3 million votes and gained 54 of parliament’s 329 seats.

He was followed by Amiri with more than 1.2 million votes, translating into 47 seats, and Abadi with more than 1 million votes and 42 seats, according to calculations made by Reuters based on the document. Ex-Prime Miniser Nuri al-Maliki, a close ally of Iran like Amiri, came in fourth with 25 seats.

‘IRAN OUT’

Winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee that Sadr will be able to hand-pick a prime minister. The other winning blocs would have to agree on the nomination.

In a 2010 election, Vice President Ayad Allawi’s group won the largest number of seats, albeit with a narrow margin, but he was blocked from becoming prime minister for which he blamed Tehran.

And a similar fate could befall Sadr. Iran has publicly stated it would not allow his bloc to govern and may try to form a governing coalition between its allies, Amiri and Maliki.

“We will not allow liberals and communists to govern in Iraq,” Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in February.

His statement, which sparked criticism by Iraqi figures, was referring to the electoral alliance between Sadr, the Iraqi Communist Party and other secular groups who joined protests organized by Sadr in 2016 to press the government to see through a move to stem endemic corruption.

Iraqi Communist Party Secretary General Raed Fahmy told Reuters the vote in favor of the Sadrist list, backed by his group, ‘’is is a clear message that we must have balanced relations with all (foreign countries) based non-interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.’’

‘’Everybody is welcome to provide support to Iraq, but not at the expense of its sovereignty and independence,’’ he added.

Iraqi supporters of Sairun list celebrate with portraits of Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, after results of Iraq’s parliamentary election were announced in Baghdad, Iraq May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani

During the campaign, frustrated Iraqis of all shades complained about their political elite’s systematic patronage, bad governance and corruption, saying they didn’t receive any benefits of their country’s oil wealth.

‘’The importance of this vote is that it is a clear message that the people wants to change the system of governance which has produced corruption and weakened state institutions,’’ said Fahmy. ‘’It is a message to provide services to the people, health and education, and to reduce social disparities.’’

Iraq has been ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries, with high unemployment, rife poverty, weak public institutions and bad services despite high oil revenues for many years. Endemic corruption has eaten at the government’s financial resources.

Sadr derives much of his authority from his family. Sadr’s father, highly respected Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, was murdered in 1999 for defying Saddam Hussein. His father’s cousin, Mohammed Baqir, was killed by Saddam in 1980.

Celebrations erupted on the streets of Baghdad after the commission’s announcement, with thousands of Sadr’s supporters singing, chanting, dancing and setting off fireworks while carrying his picture and waving Iraqi flags.

Many of his supporters chanted “Iran out”.

BALANCING ACT

Whoever wins the election will have to contend with the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to quit Iran’s nuclear deal, a move Iraqis fear could turn their country into a theater of conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Abadi, a British-educated engineer who came to power four years ago after Islamic State seized a third of Iraq’s territory, received U.S. military support for Iraq’s army to defeat the Sunni Muslim militant group even as he gave free rein to Iran to back Shi’ite militias fighting on the same side.

Viewed as a frontrunner before the election, his rivals were seen as Maliki and Amiri, both closer than Abadi to Iran, which has wide sway in Iraq as the primary Shi’ite power in the region.

If parliament chooses to grant him a second term, Abadi will remain under pressure to maintain that balancing act amid tensions between Washington and Tehran over the nuclear accord.

Abadi was seen by some Iraqis as lacking charisma and as ineffective. He had no powerful political machine of his own when he took office.

Slideshow (6 Images)

But the defeat of Islamic State and Abadi’s campaign to eradicate Iraq’s rampant corruption improved his standing.

Amiri’s Badr organization played a key role in the battle against Islamic State. But some Iraqis resent his close ties to Tehran. The dissident-turned-militia leader spent more than two decades fighting Saddam from exile in Iran.

Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Additional reporting by Huda Majeed, and Reuters Video News in Baghdad and Raya Jalabi in Erbil; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein and Michael Georgy; Editing by Samia Nakhoul, William Maclean and Richard Balmforth

The post Cleric Sadr, in surprise comeback, seems set to win Iraq election appeared first on World The News.

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[dragnews]

Cleric Sadr, in surprise comeback, seems set to win Iraq election

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Nationalist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States, led in Iraq’s parliamentary election with more than half the votes counted on Monday, the electoral commission said, in a surprise turn of fortune for the Shi’ite leader.

In the first election since Islamic State was defeated in the country, Shi’ite militia chief Hadi al-Amiri’s bloc, which is backed by Iran, was in second place, while Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, once seen as the front-runner, trailed in third position.

The preliminary results were based on a count of more than 95 percent of the votes cast in 10 of Iraq’s 18 provinces.

Unlike Abadi, a rare ally of both the United States and Iran, Sadr is an opponent of both of the countries which have wielded influence in Iraq since a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein and ushered the Shi’ite majority to power.

Sadr has led two uprisings against U.S. forces in Iraq and is one of the few Shi’ite leaders to distance himself from Iran.

Potraying himself as an Iraqi nationalist, Sadr has a zealous following among the young, poor and dispossessed, but he had been sidelined by influential Iranian-backed figures.

He can not become prime minister as he did not run in the election, though his apparent victory puts him in a position to pick someone for the job.

But even then his bloc might not necessarily form the next government since whoever wins the most seats must negotiate a coalition government in order to have a majority in parliament. The government should be formed within 90 days of the official results.

The election held on Saturday is the first since the defeat of Islamic State, with the capture of its de facto capital Mosul, last year. The group overran a third of Iraq in 2014.

Turnout was 44.52 percent with 92 percent of votes counted, the Independent High Electoral Commission said – that was significantly lower than in previous elections. Full results are due to be officially announced later on Monday.

Sadr and Amiri both came in first in four of the 10 provinces where votes were counted, but the cleric’s bloc won significantly more votes in the capital, Baghdad, which has the highest number of seats.

A document provided to Reuters by a candidate in Baghdad that was also circulating among journalists and analysts showed results from all 18 provinces.

Reuters could not independently verify the document’s authenticity but the results in it showed Sadr had won the nationwide popular vote with more than 1.3 million votes and gained 54 of parliament’s 329 seats.

He was followed by Amiri with more than 1.2 million votes, translating into 47 seats, and Abadi with more than 1 million votes and 42 seats, according to calculations made by Reuters based on the document. Ex-Prime Miniser Nuri al-Maliki, a close ally of Iran like Amiri, came in fourth with 25 seats.

‘IRAN OUT’

Winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee that Sadr will be able to hand-pick a prime minister. The other winning blocs would have to agree on the nomination.

In a 2010 election, Vice President Ayad Allawi’s group won the largest number of seats, albeit with a narrow margin, but he was blocked from becoming prime minister for which he blamed Tehran.

And a similar fate could befall Sadr. Iran has publicly stated it would not allow his bloc to govern and may try to form a governing coalition between its allies, Amiri and Maliki.

“We will not allow liberals and communists to govern in Iraq,” Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in February.

His statement, which sparked criticism by Iraqi figures, was referring to the electoral alliance between Sadr, the Iraqi Communist Party and other secular groups who joined protests organized by Sadr in 2016 to press the government to see through a move to stem endemic corruption.

Iraqi Communist Party Secretary General Raed Fahmy told Reuters the vote in favor of the Sadrist list, backed by his group, ‘’is is a clear message that we must have balanced relations with all (foreign countries) based non-interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.’’

‘’Everybody is welcome to provide support to Iraq, but not at the expense of its sovereignty and independence,’’ he added.

Iraqi supporters of Sairun list celebrate with portraits of Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, after results of Iraq’s parliamentary election were announced in Baghdad, Iraq May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani

During the campaign, frustrated Iraqis of all shades complained about their political elite’s systematic patronage, bad governance and corruption, saying they didn’t receive any benefits of their country’s oil wealth.

‘’The importance of this vote is that it is a clear message that the people wants to change the system of governance which has produced corruption and weakened state institutions,’’ said Fahmy. ‘’It is a message to provide services to the people, health and education, and to reduce social disparities.’’

Iraq has been ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries, with high unemployment, rife poverty, weak public institutions and bad services despite high oil revenues for many years. Endemic corruption has eaten at the government’s financial resources.

Sadr derives much of his authority from his family. Sadr’s father, highly respected Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, was murdered in 1999 for defying Saddam Hussein. His father’s cousin, Mohammed Baqir, was killed by Saddam in 1980.

Celebrations erupted on the streets of Baghdad after the commission’s announcement, with thousands of Sadr’s supporters singing, chanting, dancing and setting off fireworks while carrying his picture and waving Iraqi flags.

Many of his supporters chanted “Iran out”.

BALANCING ACT

Whoever wins the election will have to contend with the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to quit Iran’s nuclear deal, a move Iraqis fear could turn their country into a theater of conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Abadi, a British-educated engineer who came to power four years ago after Islamic State seized a third of Iraq’s territory, received U.S. military support for Iraq’s army to defeat the Sunni Muslim militant group even as he gave free rein to Iran to back Shi’ite militias fighting on the same side.

Viewed as a frontrunner before the election, his rivals were seen as Maliki and Amiri, both closer than Abadi to Iran, which has wide sway in Iraq as the primary Shi’ite power in the region.

If parliament chooses to grant him a second term, Abadi will remain under pressure to maintain that balancing act amid tensions between Washington and Tehran over the nuclear accord.

Abadi was seen by some Iraqis as lacking charisma and as ineffective. He had no powerful political machine of his own when he took office.

Slideshow (6 Images)

But the defeat of Islamic State and Abadi’s campaign to eradicate Iraq’s rampant corruption improved his standing.

Amiri’s Badr organization played a key role in the battle against Islamic State. But some Iraqis resent his close ties to Tehran. The dissident-turned-militia leader spent more than two decades fighting Saddam from exile in Iran.

Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Additional reporting by Huda Majeed, and Reuters Video News in Baghdad and Raya Jalabi in Erbil; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein and Michael Georgy; Editing by Samia Nakhoul, William Maclean and Richard Balmforth

The post Cleric Sadr, in surprise comeback, seems set to win Iraq election appeared first on World The News.

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