Iran Has Abandoned It's Support Of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki

Iraqi Leader Maliki Loses Backing of Shiite Figure and Iran for New Term -- Wall Street Journal

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani Comes Out in Opposition to Maliki

BAGHDAD—Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is losing political support for his bid for a third term from core backers, including the country's Shiite religious establishment and ally Iran, say Iraqi officials.

The shift, officials said, is prompting members of the premier's own alliance to reconsider their support and dimming the prospect of his stay in power.

In recent days, high-level delegations of Iranian military officials and diplomats held a flurry of meetings in Baghdad and the Shiite religious capital Najaf, where they were told that Mr. Maliki, a Shiite, has lost the confidence of all but his most loyal inner circle, Iraqi officials with knowledge of the meetings said.

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Update:Shiite politicians say Iraq's al-Maliki rejected top ally Iran's pressure to step down -- US News and World Report/AP

My Comment: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is refusing to step down .... and the Parliament is too divided and polarized to have him removed. I call this the perfect political storm for the political disintegration of Iraq. As to Iran's withdrawal of support of al-Maliki... this is a surprise. Iran has a history of backing their allies to the hilt .... regardless of the consequences (case in point ... their support of Assad in Syria). My guess is that Iran has made the decision that al-Maliki has not only been a complete disaster for Iraq .... but also a threat to Iran's long term strategic goal of having Iraq as a client Shiite state to deter Sunni extremism and aggression. In short .... they are doing him a favor by telling him that his time to go is now.