President Bush called it another “defining moment” in Iraq. But our editorial today argues that the clash between Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Shiite militias seems to have revealed once again that the Iraqi government is not yet capable of standing up and delivering. Al-Maliki — himself a Shiite — drew a line in the sand last week, telling Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia that it had 72 hours to turn in its arms in Basra or face a fight to the finish. But the fighters didn’t budge, and when the deadline approached, al-Maliki blinked, moving back the deadline. It made him look weak. Nor did he succeed in his aim of disarming the militias. Al-Maliki must still prove that he has the political skills and toughness to unite the country behind him and chart a path toward a stable, self-governing Iraq. We’re still waiting for that defining moment.
Barack Obama actually won the most elected delegates in Texas when the caucus results were finalized last week and added to the March 4 primary results, giving him 99 delegates won to Hillary Clinton’s 94 under the state’s complicated system. So that’s one big state that should officially go in Obama’s column. Don’t expect a lot about this in the news, given that the media have moved on, but it’s a symbolic victory for Obama nonetheless.
There is a bit of a coal-fueled rift in the Democratic Party, according to an analysis by Associated Press.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson (in photo) and some other Democrats oppose the Holcomb coal-plant proposal. But 16 of the Legislature’s 57 Democrats support it — including House Minority Leader Dennis McKinney of Greensburg. McKinney, a party stalwart, and Parkinson, a former Republican and interloper to some, both are viewed as potential gubernatorial candidates. “There are a considerable number of us who don’t want our party to be headed by Mark Parkinson,†said state Rep. Candy Ruff, D-Leavenworth.
Post-Sept. 11 airport security remains a work in progress, but this is ridiculous: Before a woman could board a February flight out of Lubbock, Texas, she had to remove her nipple jewelry, which required pliers. At least the Transportation Security Administration already has decided to change its procedures, which apparently were followed in this case, to give passengers the option to remove their piercings or be visually inspected. “TSA acknowledges that our procedures caused difficulty for the passenger involved and regrets the situation in which she found herself,†the agency said in a statement.
On CBS’ “Face the Nation,†New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson gave a better idea of his decision-making process before endorsing Barack Obama. He said he was on the verge of endorsing Hillary Clinton “a couple of times†but backed off. He was in “intensive contact†with Obama, who called Richardson himself, but the “Clinton people would, like a war room, get hundreds of their supporters and colleagues of mine to call me and pressure me in a way that, in some cases, I felt was inappropriate.†Richardson also said the Clinton supporters act as if “the presidency is theirs,†and “I think loyalty to the nation, loyalty to the party, is a lot more important than personal loyalty.â€
A 33-7 vote in the Kansas Senate last month signaled a strong legislative desire to think bigger about tourism. But rather than act last week, a House committee opted to request an interim study of the proposal — to turn tourism efforts over to a new and better-funded agency. Maybe a tight budget year isn’t the time to revolutionize how Kansas promotes itself. Then again, more visitors would mean more revenue for the state and its businesses. Maybe next year.
President Bush called it another “defining moment” in Iraq. But our editorial today argues that the clash between Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Shiite militias seems to have revealed once again that the Iraqi government is not yet capable of standing up and delivering. Al-Maliki — himself a Shiite — drew a line in the sand last week, telling Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia that it had 72 hours to turn in its arms in Basra or face a fight to the finish. But the fighters didn’t budge, and when the deadline approached, al-Maliki blinked, moving back the deadline. It made him look weak. Nor did he succeed in his aim of disarming the militias. Al-Maliki must still prove that he has the political skills and toughness to unite the country behind him and chart a path toward a stable, self-governing Iraq. We’re still waiting for that defining moment.
