Abadi attends a parliamentary session soon after becoming prime minister in September last year. Just over a year on, Abadi's promises of reform remain mostly unfulfilled. His critics say he is unlikely to deliver. His backers say he needs more time. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad
Ned Parker, Reuters: Iraq's Power Struggle
Power failure in Iraq as militias outgun state.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi came to office a year ago promising to rebuild his country. But the Iraqi state has grown weaker as power has leaked to Shi’ite militia leaders
ERBIL, IRAQ – In April, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi sat at a conference table in his Baghdad office with almost two dozen men in combat fatigues. The men were not officers in the Iraqi Army, but representatives of the Shi’ite paramilitary groups that have led the fight against Islamic State.
Hadi al-Amiri, one of the most senior militia leaders, delivered a long and forceful monologue on his fighters’ recent victories. Abadi, in a blazer and tie, listened, occasionally jotting down notes, a video of the meeting shows. A few minutes later, Abadi himself praised the fighters.
The event was a sign of the delicate power balance in Iraq.
WNU Editor: He who has the guns has the power .... and it is becoming more and more clear that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has little if both.