Iraqi parliament on vacation

Iraq took one step closer toward a territorial split along sectarian lines, the solidification of gains made by Sunni extremist, which means the creation of ISIS’s so-called “caliphate” is becoming a reality that will translate into a protracted conflict between neighboring territories, and the loss of American support when the Iraqi parliament both failed to establish a new governing coalition and decided to recess until August.  As us Americans would put it, Iraq is in a situation where “if you don’t come in on Friday, you might as well not come in on Monday.”  Quite frankly, any politician failing to show up to work when their nation is in the middle of a crisis should voted out of office.  The fact that Iraq is on the verge of collapse and the Iraqis are going on break is beyond outrageous.  When you are in a situation like this one, you stay until the job is done.  Sadly, forming a new government is not even the problem.  What Iraq needs is leadership from a credible, functional governing coalition in order to address the rise of the ISIS to power. 

Focusing on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as the supposed leader of supposed leaders, his unwillingness to even consider abandoning his chances at a third term demonstrates the problem with the Iraqi leadership, i.e. they are concerned with their own power interests.  If there is no confidence in the leadership of the Prime Minister, he cannot lead, even if he is the most qualified candidate.  This is the nature of governance.  The underlying problem is that the leadership in Iraq lives in a political bubble where you do whatever it takes to hold onto your influence.  Unfortunately for them, the reality is that their government is about to disappear, so there is no need for them to concern themselves with who is in power.  As such, the US and other allies willing to support the national government of Iraqi need to make very clear that such support will be futile unless the Iraqi parliament gets its act together.  This means immediately cancelling parliament’s break and resuming efforts to organize a governing into the night until the job is done then finding solutions to the crisis.