.WP: 3 Soldiers Killed in Baghdad/Allawi Makes Bid to Remain as Premier

[kskiska]

Three U.S. soldiers were killed and eight others were wounded Monday when a roadside bomb detonated in the capital near a helicopter carrying an Army medical team, U.S. military officials said.

(snip)

Meanwhile, in a surprise political development, interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi put in a formal bid to retain his position in the new transitional government, sending a political signal to jostling Shiite parties that he could be a compromise candidate if they are unable to agree on a choice.

(snip)

Allawi has never been considered a serious contender to retain the prime ministership because his slate won only 40 seats in the new 275-member parliament. The Shiite-dominated United Iraqi Alliance won the largest number of seats, 140, giving its nominee the greatest chance to become prime minister.

(snip)

Mousawi said his favored candidate, Chalabi, was the current front-runner but that he faced opposition from the Shiite religious base. "There are some pressures from the Islamist members in the slate about Dr. Chalabi to withdraw, saying that he is not religious," he said.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41721-2005Feb21.html

[Erika]

1. Three Americans dead

as Iraqis ponder political choices. Ah, why are we there?

[applegrove]

2. Alawi encourage to run so as to split the vote & help elect Chalabi.

Call a the Ross Perault/Ralph Nader move.

[Disturbed]

3. The U.S. is there to protect it's territory and oil.

The U.S. will stay for another 50 years, at least.

[applegrove]

4. I think they are running to Chalabi for security again ... they want to be

sold that bill of goods again.