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Maliki, Talibani in after Iraqiya walk-outs

Inclusive government may have fallen apart before it touched a piece of legislation.
Iraq's parliament, meeting Nov. 12, 2010, for the second time since the March 7 elections. Jalal Talbani was re-elected president, and selected Nouri al-Maliki to become prime minister again, after the Iraqiya bloc led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi, walked out in protest. (BEN LANDO/Iraq Oil Report)

BAGHDAD - Iraqi Parliamentarians entered the chamber with a freshly negotiated power-sharing deal and concluded, in accordance with that agreement, by re-electing Jalal Talabani as the president, who then named Nouri al-Maliki to a second term as prime minister. But between those auspicious bookends the Sunni-backed Iraqiya party walked out, amidst allegations that they were being double-crossed by Maliki on a key side agreement.

The dramatic protest Thursday exposed the fragility of the new political compromise, and underscored the long work yet to be done before Iraq can have a functioning government.

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