Power Struggle In Iraq As President Picks New PM

By The Associated Press

Published August 11, 2014 at 12:06 PM EDT

Iraqis hold placards reading in Arabic 'Maliki is our choice' during a demonstration to support Iraq's prime minister on August 11, 2014 in Baghdad's central Saadoun Street after Nuri al-Maliki said he was filing a complaint against the president for violating the constitution. Maliki's Shiite coalition won April polls comfortably but his standing has been undermined by a devastating jihadist offensive launched on June 9 that overran large swathes of Iraq. (Amer al-Saedi/AFP/Getty Images)

Iraq’s new president has charged the deputy speaker of parliament Haider al-Ibadi with forming a new government in the next 30 days.

Fouad Massoum said on television Monday that he hoped al-Ibadi would succeed in forming a government that would “protect the Iraqi people.”

The president’s choice is a very public snubbing of incumbent Prime Minister Nouri el-Maliki who in an angry midnight speech all but demanded he be re-nominated for a third term.

Maliki has deployed his elite security forces in the streets of Baghdad, partially closed two main streets – popular spots for pro and anti-government rallies – as hundreds of his supporters took to the streets.

Here & Now’s security expert Jim Walsh discusses the developments with host Jeremy Hobson.

Guest

Jim Walsh, expert in international security at MIT’s Security Studies Program. He tweets @DrJimWalshMIT.