There are have been a variety of indications that former interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi is making a power play, in the hopes of replacing Maliki. Some of Allawi’s strategy has been behind the scenes, while some of it is more overt.
A powerhouse Republican lobbying firm with close ties to the White House has begun a public campaign to undermine the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, CNN has confirmed.
This comes as President Bush is publicly taking great pains to reiterate his support for the embattled Iraqi leader, whose government has come under sharp criticism and scrutiny from Washington lawmakers and officials and Thursday’s National Intelligence Estimate.
A senior Bush administration official told CNN the White House is aware of the lobbying campaign by Barbour Griffith & Rogers because the firm is “blasting e-mails all over town” criticizing al-Maliki and promoting the firm’s client, former interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, as an alternative to the current Iraqi leader.
Allawi had an op-ed in the WaPo the other day, which clearly indicated he was making some political strides in hopes of currying favor in DC, but hiring Barbour Griffith & Rogers suggests the Republican establishment may be ready to bet on a different horse.
The firm, a Republican mainstay created by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (R), is already hard at work.
On August 17, the firm purchased the domain name Allawi-For-Iraq.com (the site’s not yet live). Following publication of the op-ed, Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) called on the Iraqi parliament to hold a no-confidence vote on Maliki. BGR circulated Levin’s comments around Washington — and particularly to Congressional staffers — using the e-mail address DrAyadAllawi@Allawi-for-Iraq.com.
So, while Bush is publicly reaffirming his support for Maliki, some of the top Republican lobbyists in DC are organizing a campaign to replace him? Yep, that’s exactly what’s happening.
ThinkProgress makes clear why the GOP establishment may prefer Allawi to Maliki.
The right-wing has long had a fascination with Allawi, largely because he has proved to be compliant with the Bush administration’s agenda. Allawi was ceremonially anointed Iraq’s leader in June 2004 by then-Coalition Provisional Authority chief administrator Paul Bremer.
While serving as interim Prime Minister, Allawi repeatedly rejected calls for U.S. troop withdrawals. During the height of the 2004 presidential election campaign, Allawi delivered a strong defense of Bush’s “stay the course” strategy in much-hyped Rose Garden appearance. Later, media reports revealed that Allawi had been “coached” by the administration prior to his appearance: […]
Allawi has been described as “Saddam lite.” In 2004, he handcuffed and blindfolded suspected terrorists and shot them in the head with a pistol. Now, with frustrations mounting against current prime minister Maliki, the administration may be using that as an opportunity to usher in its reliable ally Allawi.
And with the administration’s new-found interest in giving up on Iraqi democracy anyway, “Saddam lite” might fit the bill.
Stay tuned.