backed bloc that came first in elections seven months ago is united against the bid by Shiite Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki to remain in office, a party spokesman said Monday, in another clear sign of deep divisions over efforts to end Iraq's political impasse. The pledge of solidarity against Al-Maliki vividly shows the rifts since the March elections but means little to effectively block his bid to retain power. Hayder Al-Mulla, a spokesman for the Sunni-backed Iraqiya group, demanded that Al-Maliki and his allies “give up the post” of prime minister to acknowledge the narrow election victory of Iyad Allawi, Iraqiya's leader. Allawi served as prime minister after the US-led invasion in 2003. “The prime minister's post is for all Iraqis and not for one sect or one party,” he said in a direct reference to the dominance of Shiites in political affairs and security forces since the fall of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-led regime. “Iraqiya says clearly it won't participate in any government headed by Al-Maliki. Our reservations over Al-Maliki come out of the bitter experiences of the past four years,” Al-Mulla told reporters at a Parliament press conference. Al-Mulla also warned that Iraq, under Al-Maliki, would be mired in political feuds that could hamper efforts at luring foreign investment and complicate internal security cooperation as US military forces leave.
