Iraq Needs Motivation

Todays Progress Report outlines some reasons for the stalemate in Iraq.

As a result of the Dec. 2005 elections, the Shiite alliance – comprised mainly of the religious Dawa Party, led by Jaafari, and the more secular Supreme Council for the Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) party, led by Abdul Aziz Hakim – commanded 128 of the 275 total seats. Because the Shiites were unable to gain a majority of the seats, they were forced to make concessions with Kurdish and Sunni factions, who control almost all of the other seats, in order to form a government and fill important cabinet posts. The Bush administration has blamed Jaafari for the delays in bringing the parties together, but the prime minister has fought back against the U.S. efforts to oust him. The administration is pushing for a SCIRI candidate, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, to be the next prime minister, an individual who lost to Jaafari in February and whose return may divide the Shiite alliance. On the other hand, some suggest if Jaafari insists on remaining in office, "then Iraq will continue to be divided."

It also says to me that maybe Sen. Kerry was right about a deadline for the Iraqi government to get the ball rolling. It is the same logic that some, mostly Republicans, use when talking about people who abuse the welfare system in America. you know the line, "why should we keep giving them money if they are not going to try to get a job?" Which I agree with to some degree. But if we keep handing out money to Iraqis and continue to the job of security for them, what is their incentive to take the lead in Iraq?