Turning the Page in Iraq

With the announcement last week of Sadrist support for Nuri al-Maliki, the tortuous negotiations over the formation of a new Iraqi government enter a new phase. The deal is by no means done and much hard bargaining remains, but it is increasingly likely that al-Maliki will emerge as prime minister. Here is how the political landscape looks:

Timing is everything in politics. Iraqiya missed the chance for a very favorable deal on power sharing and positions.