NPR: NIE: Iraqi Leaders 'Unable to Govern Effectively'

NIE: Iraqi Leaders 'Unable to Govern Effectively'

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki must be sensing a pattern in U.S. reaction to his government: Tuesday he was down, Wednesday he was up, so he's due for another down day, right?

Today, the negative reaction comes in the form of a National Intelligence Estimate. The Associated Press reports that the intelligence analysts who wrote the 10-page document (the consensus judgment of the CIA and 15 other U.S. intelligence agencies) doubt he "can overcome sectarian divisions and meet benchmarks intended to promote political unity." The document also says Iraq's security services, while performing better, are still not ready to operate without help from U.S. forces.

The silver lining for the Iraqi prime minister is that the report also says that any attempt to replace him right now could "paralyze the government."

Meanwhile, papers around the Middle East tend see the Bush-al-Maliki relationship in two ways: Either Bush is trying to set al-Maliki up to be a scapegoat for failed policies in Iraq, or al-Maliki is to blame for not being able to unite the factions in his country.

3:41 PM ET | 08-23-2007 | permalink

Comments

Some day we will be able to analyze what commitments were made in the hot spring of 2004 (Abu Ghraib, Intense battles) to assure Bremmer's exit, sovereignty transfer, and quiet through the elections of 2004. The deal was made with Jaafri (DAWA) et al of the then Governing Council that set the foundation for the debacle of what Iraq has become.

Sent by Bill Keller | 4:13 PM ET | 08-23-2007

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