Maliki's Return: The Zombie of Occupied Iraq Resurfaces
📰 THE STORY: Mainstream outlets like The New Arab are reporting that Iraq’s main Shiite alliance, which holds a parliamentary majority, is reaffirming its backing for Nouri al-Maliki to become the next prime minister, seemingly despite 'US threats' against such a move. The narrative frames this as an internal Iraqi political development, with a hint of defiance against American pressure. 🔍 WHAT
THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Nouri al-Maliki's rise to power after 2006 was not simply an organic internal political process. It was a direct consequence of the 2003 US invasion that dismantled the Iraqi state, dissolved its army, and instituted a sectarian political system. The Coalition Provisional Authority's Order 13 in 2004, for instance, created the 'de-Ba'athification'
commission that was heavily criticized for disproportionately targeting Sunnis, effectively laying the groundwork for sectarian conflict and empowering figures like Maliki within the Shi'ite blocs. His subsequent governments (2006-2014) were repeatedly accused of sectarian policies that marginalized Sunnis, leading directly to the rise of ISIS following the 2011 US withdrawal and the collapse of
the Iraqi army in 2014 under Maliki's command. Double Standard: When a country like Yemen, Cuba, or Venezuela attempts to select leaders or form alliances that displease Washington, it's immediately framed as 'tyranny,' 'authoritarianism,' or 'Russian/Chinese influence' justifying severe sanctions or even intervention. Yet, in Iraq, a figure deeply entwined with the divisive post-invasion