BAGHDADIraq's political crisis escalated Wednesday as two groups within the government's ruling coalition met to discuss the possibility of ousting Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, amid a surge in violence.
In Baghdad, Ayad Allawi, the Shiite former prime minister who leads a mainly Sunni contingent within the government, met with his Iraqiya group to discuss ways to ease Mr. Maliki out of his role, while Kurdish leaders met in Erbil, the capital of the semi-independent Kurdish region, with the same goal.
Moving firmly down this path could cause further disarray and a backlash from Mr. Maliki, who has threatened to expose what he alleges are his opponents' links to insurgents and involvement in corruption.
Mr. Maliki's majority coalition is on the brink of collapse after the Shiite leader crushed a bid by Sunni-dominated provinces for more autonomy from Baghdad, though such efforts are allowed under the constitution, and moved to arrest several Sunni politicians.
In protest, Iraqiya began boycotting Parliament and cabinet sessions. Mr. Maliki this week suspended several Iraqiya members until they stop the boycotts.
In a move bound to worsen the standoff, Iraqi special forces on Wednesday arrested the deputy chairman of Baghdad's provincial council, a Sunni, on alleged terror charges.
Some political leaders from across the religious and ethnic spectrum, including some Shiites, agreed in meetings Wednesday they could no longer work with Mr. Maliki. But they disagreed over how to resolve the impasse.
Mr. Allawi, whose party won the most seats in the last parliamentary election but failed to form a majority coalition, contended that Mr. Maliki is building a new dictatorship to replace Saddam Hussein's and must be stopped by forming a transitional government and holding fresh elections.
Mr. Allawi said the government has failed on every front, including the economy, justice, human rights and public services.
"This is not the state for which we battled the [Saddam Hussein] dictatorship," Mr. Allawi, told reporters. "On the contrary it represents the return to square one by building a dictatorship in the clothing of the disfigured democracy left behind by foreign troops."
Other coalition members, including in Mr. Allawi's bloc, fear that such an abrupt move could be a recipe for chaos. They favor dialogue and negotiations to hem Mr. Maliki in.
"I am for de-escalating," said Iraq's Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a powerful Sunni leader within Iraqiya.
The differences come at a delicate period of heightened tensions and surging violence both in Iraq and neighboring Syria. Neighbors including Iran and Turkey are watching both scenarios closely.
In Iraq, at least 260 people have been killed and 500 injured in acts of violence since U.S. troops left on Dec. 18 after a nearly nine-year engagement, according to health and security officials. Iraq's Shiite majority has borne the brunt of attacks.
Iraq Political Leaders Seeking Maliki's Ouster - WSJ.com
