Introduction to the evening news 20-12-2011

All eyes are on the latest developments in Syria, but the real event is in Iraq. Since the withdrawal of the last U.S. soldier Sunday morning, the country is passing through a political crisis that is getting more complex by the hour. In fact, an arrest warrant was issued for the Sunni Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi over accusations of links to terrorist activities, while Shiite PM Nuri al-Maliki was seeking to lay off his other Sunni Deputy Saleh al-Mutlak. Meanwhile, the Iraqiya coalition led by Iyad Allawi supported by the Sunni minority began boycotting the sessions of both the Parliament and the cabinet.         

These rapid developments came at a time when Sunni-dominated provinces were calling for independence, reflecting the Sunni’s fear of marginalization. This power-conflict between Shiites and Sunnites is the other aspect of a conflict between Iran, the Gulf and Turkey on Iraq, as stated by Iyad Allawi and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).       

Allawi accused Iran of meddling in Iraq’s internal affairs to support al-Maliki, arguing that Tehran is trying to fill in the American void. As for the GCC, it voiced deep concern over continuous Iranian interference in the Gulf States’ internal affairs and the attempts to create a schism and sow the seeds of a sectarian strife, violating their sovereignty and independence.         

The sectarian and political lineups warn of the emergence of new alliances and the shuffling of playing cards. Tareq al-Hashemi is ready to stand before Kurdistan’s court, and the Kurdish-Iraqi president Jalal Talabani announced that the rapid developments took place without his consultation or collaboration, as if a Sunni-Kurdish lineup is being shaped in the face of the Shiite majority.         

Awaiting the next developments that will impact Syria and the region, we start in Lebanon where the wage adjustment issue is back on the table and is due to be discussed in the cabinet tomorrow. Meanwhile, the GLC is pressing on with the strike scheduled for December 27th.