Shiites choose al-Jaafari

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Shiite lawmakers Sunday chose incumbent Ibrahim al-Jaafari to be Iraq’s new prime minister, endorsing the physician and longtime exile for a second term by a single vote – thanks in large part to support by a radical anti-U.S. faction.

Al-Jaafari’s selection paves the way for the Shiite alliance to begin talks with parties representing Sunni Arabs, Kurds, secularists and others to form a broad-based government, which the U.S. hopes can calm the insurgency so American and other foreign troops can begin leaving.

Al-Jaafari edged out Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi during the balloting, largely thanks to support from followers of Muqtada al-Sadr, the cleric whose militia has staged two uprisings against U.S. forces since 2004.

Al-Jaafari, who spent years in exile in Iran and Britain, is virtually assured of the top job once the new parliament convenes and a new president is elected in the coming weeks. The constitution states that the president must appoint a prime minister from the largest bloc in parliament.

Would-be coalition partners expressed disappointment at the choice of al-Jaafari, with Kurds complaining they were sidelined in the outgoing government and Sunni Arabs pointing to his alleged failure to rein in Shiite-led security services accused of abuses against Sunnis.

“We have some reservations, not on the person of Dr. al-Jaafari, but on the performance of his government,” said Naseer al-Ani, a Sunni Arab politician.

Violence continued Sunday, with at least six people killed and 20 wounded in explosions and shootings in Baghdad and to the north. Iraqi police reported an attack shortly before midnight against a U.S. convoy 30 miles north of Baghdad. There was no confirmation from U.S. forces.