Damn: Maliki’s success shows his willingness to disregard American concerns about the return of Mr. Sadr’s followers to the center of political power.

Moktada al-Sadr

From The New York Times:

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq appeared almost assured of a second term in office on Friday after securing the support of an anti-American Shiite Islamic movement whose return to political power could profoundly complicate relations with the United States.

The deal came . . . came with political costs, uncertainty and risks, splintering a broad Shiite alliance and threatening to raise tensions with Sunnis who largely supported a secular Shiite leader, Ayad Allawi.

Mr. Maliki . . . owes his new support to the extraordinary political resurrection of Moktada al-Sadr, the self-exiled cleric whose fighters once battled in the streets of Baghdad, Basra and other cities with Iraqi and American troops. Until days ago he fiercely opposed Mr. Maliki’s re-election.

Mr. Maliki’s success reflected his tenacity — tinged with authoritarianism — to retain power, despite widespread opposition to his leadership. It also showed his willingness to disregard — for political expediency — American concerns about the return of Mr. Sadr’s followers to the center of political power.

While Obama administration officials insisted over months of quiet diplomacy that they preferred no candidate, only a broadly inclusive government, they made it clear that they did not favor a government that included the Sadrists, who are closely allied with Iran and oppose the presence of American troops.