Iraqi PM sets deadline for Sadrists on cabinet withdrawal decision

Iraq's prime minister set a march 24 deadline for cabinet members loyal to Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to decide whether to withdraw from the cabinet. "The members of the Sadrist movement need to take a stand until next Sunday whether they will take part in the meetings of the cabinet," Maliki's media adviser, Ali al-Musavi, quoted Nouri al-Maliki as saying. Musavi also cited al-Maliki as saying that the Sadrist ministers could not continue to perform their duties without showing up at the Council of Ministers. "There will not be positive discrimination for the Sadrist ministers," Musavi said, quoting the Iraqi premier.   In a written statement earlier this week, Muqtada al-Sadr said staying in the government did more harm than good to his movement. "We believe that being in the cabinet is tantamount to affirming the cruelty and malice. We will discuss with the movement's members about withdrawing from the cabinet and the parliament," Sadr said.