Iraq political crisis deepens as Maliki slams president, resists calls to resign

As Iraq's government forces continue to battle Sunni militants in the country's north and west with the help of American airstrikes, the country's parallel political crises deepened Sunday as embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki resisted calls to step down and accused the new president of violating Iraq's constitution.

In a nationally televised speech Sunday evening, al-Maliki said he would file a legal complaint against the new president, Fouad Massoum, for neglecting to name a prime minister from Maliki's Shiite-dominated political bloc, which won the most seats in this past April's election.

At around the same time as al-Maliki's speech Sunday evening, the Wall Street Journal reported that security forces had deployed in unusually large numbers across Baghdad. The soldiers were particularly prominent in the so-called Green Zone, which includes the prime minister's home as well as the parliament building, crucial government offices and many embassies.

Al-Maliki is seeking a third term as prime minister, but the latest crisis has prompted even his closest allies to call for his resignation. A parliament session scheduled for Monday to discuss the election and who might lead the next Iraqi government was postponed until Aug. 19.

The Journal reported that al-Maliki had been urged to remove himself from consideration for a third term so that an alternate candidate from his National Alliance bloc could be chosen by the president. U.S. official told the Journal that consensus was building around an unnamed candidate whom Washington believes would be a better bet to unite Iraq's fragmented government. However, al-Maliki had not yet agreed to step aside.

Massoum has given the bloc a deadline of 3 p.m. local time Monday (8 a.m. Eastern time) to choose a new candidate or he would name al-Maliki to a third term, two Iraqi politicians told the Journal.

Al-Maliki, speaking on Iraqi TV for the first time since U.S. forces began launching airstrikes and humanitarian airdrops in Iraq last week, said the security situation will only worsen as a result of Massoum's actions.

'This attitude represents a coup on the constitution and the political process in a country that is governed by a democratic and federal system,' al-Maliki said. 'The deliberate violation of the constitution by the president will have grave consequences on the unity, the sovereignty, and the independence of Iraq and the entry of the political process into a dark tunnel.

The political infighting could hamper efforts to stem advances by the Islamic State, the militant group formerly known as ISIS, who have seized a large swath of northern and western Iraq in recent weeks.

President Barack Obama warned Americans on Saturday that the new campaign to bring security in Iraq requires military and political changes and 'is going to be a long-term project.' Obama said Iraqi security forces need to revamp to effectively mount an offensive, which requires a government in Baghdad that the Iraqi military and people have confidence in. Obama said Iraq needs a prime minister -- an indication that suggests he's written off the legitimacy of the incumbent, al-Maliki.

Critics say the Shiite leader contributed to the crisis by monopolizing power and pursuing a sectarian agenda that alienated the country's Sunni and Kurdish minorities.

Just hours after al-Maliki's speech, the U.S. State Department said Sunday it 'fully supports' the new Iraqi president.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement the U.S. supports the process to select a prime minister 'by building a national consensus and governing in an inclusive manner.' She said the U.S. rejects any effort to use coercion or manipulation in the process of choosing a new Iraqi leader.

news3blog.blogspot.com contributed to this report. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal.