Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki won't resign as a condition for U.S. airstrikes, according to his spokesman. Reuters
Iraqi Lawmakers Summoned To Form New Government; Maliki Blames U.S. -- L.A. Times
Iraq’s parliament will meet next week to begin the process of forming a new government, officials said Thursday, as Prime Minister Nouri Maliki blamed the United States for his army’s inability to stop Sunni Muslim insurgents who are threatening his grip on the country.
In an interview with the BBC’s Arabic-language service, Maliki said that the Iraqi army would have been able to block the insurgents’ advance into northern and western Iraq if the U.S. had moved more quickly to deliver fighter planes that Baghdad had purchased.
Apparently referring to F-16 jets that U.S. officials have said would arrive no earlier than September, Maliki said Iraqi officials had bought 36 of the planes and thought they would have received them by now.
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Update: Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki blames US in crisis -- Sydney Morning Herald
My Comment: I have two things to say in response to the above L.A. Times report .... (1) When your country is being overrun by hardcore Islamic insurgents .... you use your authority to order parliament to meet right away .... not next week. And (2) .... blaming the U.S. for this mess is easy .... and while it is true that the planes and air cover that the U.S. had promised to deliver may have deterred some ISIS advances .... the real problem is on the ground and the ineffectiveness of the Iraqi Army to stop the ISIS. And who is responsible for the Iraqi Army? Everyone knows that the buck must stop at the desk of Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki ... and it is ultimately he who is responsible for this crisis.
Update: Iraq Buys Used Russian Fighter Jets Amid U.S. Delivery Delay -- Bloomberg
