US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) warned that the United States would end support for Iraq if former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki returned to power.
Trump's threat came days after the pro-Iran Coordination Framework, the largest Shia bloc in Iraq's Parliament, nominated al-Maliki as the prime ministerial candidate.
"I’m hearing that the Great Country of Iraq might make a very bad choice by reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister. Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos," wrote Trump in a post on Truth Social.
"That should not be allowed to happen again. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom," Trump wrote, signing off with "MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN".
Trump's latest threat came days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a phone call with incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, stressed that a pro-Iran government in Iraq would be detrimental for the Middle Eastern country and the United States.
"The secretary emphasised that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq's own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told AFP regarding Rubio's phone call.
Who is Nouri al-Maliki?
A former prime minister and the current chief of the Islamic Dawa party, al-Maliki, began his political career opposing former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in the early 1970s.
Al-Maliki, however, fled the country in 1979 to escape a death sentence and remained in exile until 2003, when US-led coalition forces invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam's regime.
The formerly exiled leader then served as the prime minister of Iraq for two terms, from 2006 to 2014, emerging as one of the most influential Shiite leaders in the country in the post-Saddam era.
During his time as PM, al-Maliki played a crucial role in the execution of Saddam Hussein, declining a stay and ruling out reviews or delays. The execution was carried out on 30 December 2006.
After two terms in office and amid accusations of failing to stymie the rise of the Islamic State, al-Maliki stepped down as PM in 2014, but did not disappear from Iraq's political scene, serving as Vice President from 2014 to 2015, and again from 2016 to 2018.
The former PM is married to Faleeha Khalil and has four daughters and one son.
