News of Jafari's nomination drew mixed reactions around Iraq, where politics has been the leading topic in barbershops, coffeehouses and university quads. Such talk was unheard of during the reign of Saddam Hussein, and Iraqis seem to be relishing their right to criticize and opine about their newly elected leaders.
In Ramadi, in the violent Sunni Triangle north and west of Baghdad, Khalid Sabbar, 45, an engineering professor at Anbar University, said Allawi was the better candidate to unite the country. "Jafari only represents a Shiite party," Sabbar said, "while Allawi doesn't represent any sect."
Ibrahim Jafari, 58, is a physician, former exile and leader of the Dawa party.
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Iraq War Deaths
Total number of U.S. military deaths and names of the U.S. troops killed in the Iraq war as announced by the Pentagon yesterday: 1,476 Fatalities In hostile actions: 1,126 In non-hostile actions: 350 Spec. Katrina L. Bell-Johnson, 32, of Orangeburg, S.C.; Army 418th Transportation Company, 180th Transportation Battalion, based at Fort Hood, Tex. Died Feb. 16 in Baqubah in a noncombat vehicle incident. Staff Sgt. Jason R. Hendrix, 28, of Claremore, Okla.; 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, based at Camp Hovey, South Korea. Killed Feb. 16 in Ramadi. Sgt. Timothy R. Osbey, 34; Spec. Joseph A Rahaim, 22; Both soldiers of Magnolia, Miss.; Army National Guard 1st Battalion, 155th Regiment (Mechanized), based in McComb, Miss. The soldiers died Feb. 16 in Iskandariyah in a noncombat vehicle incident. Sgt. Christopher M. Pusateri, 21, of Corning, N.Y.; 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C. Killed Feb. 16 in Mosul. Sgt. Frank B. Hernandez, 21, of Phoenix; 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Lewis, Wash. Killed Feb. 17 in Tall Afar. Sgt. Carlos J. Gil, 30, of Orlando; 377th Transportation Company, 181st Transportation Battalion, based in Mannheim, Germany. Killed Feb. 18 in Humaniyuh. Cpl. Kevin M. Clarke, 21, of Tinley Park, Ill.; 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, based in Twentynine Palms, Calif. Killed Feb. 19 in Anbar province. Spec. Clinton R. Gertson, 26, of Houston; 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, based at Fort Lewis, Wash. Killed Feb. 19 in Mosul. 1st Lt. Adam Malson, 23, of Rochester Hills, Mich.; 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, based at Fort Drum, N.Y. Killed Feb. 19 in Baghdad. Spec. Seth R. Trahan, 20, of Crowley, La.; Army National Guard 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, based in Crowley. Killed Feb. 19 in Baghdad. All troops were killed in action unless otherwise indicated. Total fatalities include four civilian employees of the Defense Department. A full list of casualties is available online at www.washingtonpost.com/nation SOURCE: Defense Department's www.defenselink.mil/news The Washington Post
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Saad Yasin, 35, a scholar in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, where, as in Ramadi, the insurgency has intensified in recent months, said any candidate would be better than Hussein. "We endured Saddam for 35 years, and I think enduring a prime minister for one year is not that difficult," he said. "There is nothing compared to the dictator Saddam, because the coming president will be chosen by the people's will."
In the Shiite holy city of Najaf in southern Iraq, Haider Sulaiman, 42, a scholar, said he was disappointed that Jafari was chosen. "He has a weak personality," Sulaiman said. "He is not the kind of a strong leader to lead Iraq in this critical situation. If he becomes the prime minister, he will fail."
Rasha Ahmed, 22, a student of the College of Art in Tikrit, a predominantly Sunni city where Hussein's roots lie, said she had little faith in any Shiite leader. "I doubt that they would help the people in Tikrit," she said.
In Baghdad, people also were split over the nomination.
John Sini, 42, a Christian who owns the Yamama Hotel in the New Baghdad neighborhood, said he supported Jafari because he is "not an extremist." Comparing Jafari and Allawi, Sini said: "The only difference is who is the one who prefers to fulfill the people's interest and aims to stabilize the situation."
Hussein Ali, 26, who sells cigarettes in the Karrada neighborhood in central Baghdad, said Jafari was a "good man with a great background. He gave a lot to Iraq. Everyone respects him, and he is Shiite. Finally we will take our rule in this country. I am so happy."
Basim Hadi, 31, a Shiite who owns an antique shop in the capital, said he worried that Jafari would not be able to unite with Sunnis. "If we want to unify the word of the Iraqis, we should have Allawi as prime minister. He is accepted by many sides."
But he added, "In all cases, the one who is going to be chosen by the majority will be the best, because it is democracy."
Special correspondents Bassam Sebti, Khalid Saffar, Sahar Nageeb and Naseer Nouri in Baghdad, Dlovan Brwari in Mosul, Saad Sarhan in Najaf, Hassan Shammari in Baqubah, Salih Saif Aldin in Tikrit and Marwan Anie in Kirkuk contributed to this report.
