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Al-Jaafari
sworn in as Iraq PM
Shiite Arab leader
Ibrahim al-Jaafari was sworn in as Prime Minister today as Iraq's
first democratically elected government took office.
Al-Jaafari and members of his Cabinet walked up to a podium and
pledged to defend Iraq and its people. But a number of ministries,
including the key defence and oil industries, remained in temporary
hands.
Al-Jaafari had promised to form a government that would win over
members of the disaffected Sunni Arab minority, believed to make up
the backbone of the country's deadly insurgency.
Minority issues
However, members of his Shiite-dominated alliance rejected
candidates with ties to Saddam Hussein's brutal regime.
After months of wrangling, al-Jaafari negotiated a Cabinet that so
far includes 15 Shiite Arab ministers, seven Kurds, four Sunnis and
one Christian.
Two of four deputy prime ministers were also sworn in, a Shiite and
a Kurd.
Al-Jaafari will act as defence minister until one is agreed. And
former Pentagon favourite Ahmad Chalabi, the Shiite deputy prime
minister, was given temporary responsibility for the key oil
ministry.
Even with some Sunnis in government, insurgents have made clear
there will be no letup in the violence tearing at the country,
unleashing a torrent of bombings and shootings in recent days. |
