Thread by @ejmalrai

#Iraq
Although the anti-IS camp managed to:
1. remove Haidar Abadi, the US candidate
2. selected the Speaker Mohammad Halbousi

It is incorrect to say Iraq is in the hands of #Iran.

Adel Abdel Mahdi is a potential candidate as a PM and is welcomed by both Iran and #USA. 1/+

#Iraq won't go against the #USA and will select, including the anti-US camp, a candidate that doesn't provoke the Americans.

The real problem is here: Will Iraq abide by the unilateral US sanctions? That is the real burden on the future PM.2/+

https://twitter.com/ejmalrai/status/1041691965052608513

By removing Abadi, the US has lost a candidate that was not ready to balance the relationship between Tehran & Washington. That was the US biggest mistake in the last months, trying to impose Abadi (despite US denial). 3/+

https://twitter.com/ejmalrai/status/1041692491395878913

Events in Basra forced Moqtada to reject Abadi & to come closer to al-Ameri (not al-Maliki).
Actually, Speaker was the product of the Sadr-Ameri agreement (not alliance).

Tareq Najm rejected by Moqtada
Faleh Fayyad rejected by Moqtada
Abdel Mahdi (90%) ok for both. Not final yet