Political rifts threaten Iraq's anti-IS coalition

While a coalition of the willing is being formed to tackle the Islamic State (IS), international and local political divisions still threaten to tear it apart, leaving IS the only winner.
A Shi'ite volunteer from brigades loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, keeps guard as he mans a machine gun in front of a picture of Iraqi Shi'ite radical leader Muqtada al-Sadr (L) and the Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr, in Samarra, July 13, 2014. Followers of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who fought U.S. troops under the banner of the Mehdi Army during the 2003-2011 occupation, have returned as Sadr's new "Peace Brigades." The black-turbaned cleric was shown on television this week surround
A Shiite volunteer from brigades loyal to radical Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr mans a machine gun in front of a picture of Sadr (L) and the Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr, in Samarra, July 13, 2014. - REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
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Mustafa al-Kadhimi
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Achieving a perfect Iraqi consensus about the war on the Islamic State (IS) has been a concern for the country ever since IS invaded Fallujah at the beginning of this year and, subsequently, the province of Mosul in June.

However, reaching this consensus was always hindered by political and security problems that are not related to the parties' positions on the terrorist group. All Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish parties have condemned the crimes committed by IS and have reiterated the need to unite to fight it. Yet, harmony has not yet been reached to achieve this objective.

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