The Daily Background

Clinton calls for the Iraqi Parliament to vote Nouri al-Maliki out of office:

Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday the Iraqi Parliament should replace embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki with a “less divisive and more unifying figure” to reconcile political and religious factions.
[…]
In a statement released by her Senate office, Clinton echoed a call by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin for Iraq’s Parliament to oust al-Maliki in favor of a leader who could restore order to Iraq’s unity government.

“During his trip to Iraq last week, Senator Levin … confirmed that the Iraqi government is nonfunctional and cannot produce a political settlement because it is too beholden to religious and sectarian leaders,” Clinton said. “I share Senator Levin’s hope that the Iraqi Parliament will replace Prime Minister Maliki with a less divisive and more unifying figure when it returns in a few weeks.”

I believe she’s the first 2008 hopeful to do so, and she may be doing it in reaction to the recent swatch of criticism she’s gotten for saying about Bush’s escalation “It’s working. We’re just years too late changing our tactics.” Clinton said in her statement Wednesday “I share Senator Levin’s hope that the Iraqi Parliament will replace Prime Minister Maliki with a less divisive and more unifying figure when it returns in a few weeks.”

I’m not sure I’d call al-Maliki divisive- he’s a pretty uninspiring guy, and more incompetent and stubborn than divisive per say. But she’s right; Iraq would certainly benefit from a more able leader who is interested in and able to engage the Sunnis in the political process. Let’s see if any other Democrats agree with her, and more importantly, if any agree with her and are willing to step it up to the next level and do so on camera (or if she reiterates it on camera).

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