Iraqi lawmaker: situation perilous

An Iraqi lawmaker said his nation is on the brink of political collapse and could result in a Balkanization of the country. Bahaa al-Araji, a member of the Sadrist movement, told Today's Zaman in neighboring Turkey that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had created a political "time bomb" that could result in regions deciding to break away from the national government. "This will lead to the dividing of Iraq, and there will be no Iraq on the world map," Araji predicted. Today's Zaman said Araji's warning stoked concerns in Turkey that the situation in Iraq was becoming less stable and would lead to a move by the restive Kurds to establish their own nation. Kurdish rebels have used bases in northern Iraq to launch raids into Turkey. The Turks are concerned Maliki is making a mistake by not pressing for a unity government while at the same time trying to pin political dissention on so-called interference by Turkey. Araji said the peril was not limited to the Kurds. "Baghdad has the same problems with other provinces," he said.