Fact Sheet: Escalating Tensions in Iraq Threaten Security Agreement Extension

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Relations have reached new lows in Iraq as tensions escalated between Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition and former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s Iraqiyya bloc. Iraqiyya is now threatening to withdraw from both the Council of Representatives and the Council of Ministers.

Meanwhile, the State of Law is maneuvering to establish a majority government that bypasses Allawi and much of Iraqiyya. This development would represent a fatal blow to the U.S.-backed national partnership government and can have important implications for U.S. efforts to renegotiate a new Security Agreement by the end of this year.