President Obama on Friday praise Iraq’s steps to form a new government as “one more landmark in the the past of modern Iraq,” even as a long-overdue power-sharing accord frayed from the outset.
Iraq’s new assembly open at last on Thursday, nearly eight months after the country’s election, with member re-electing Jalal Talabani as president. Mr. Talabani then formally chose Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki for a second term in office, charitable him 30 days to form a cabinet of ministers.
The session’s intended comity was marred, on the other hand, when Mr. Maliki’s chief rival, Ayad Allawi, and his supporters walked out in complaint, leaving the ultimate fate of the accord unclear.
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