An Iraqi Government Under Construction

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been reappointed for a second term, and his preliminary choices for Cabinet members were approved by the Iraqi Parliament. While an important step, some of the key ministries have yet to be filled. Even though the three main blocs in the country — the Kurds, the Shiite-dominated National Alliance and the Sunni-backed al-Iraqiya List — have reached an agreement in principle on a new government, the role of the proposed National Council for Strategic Policies, which aims to give Sunnis a greater say in state affairs, could become a battleground both on how the country divides its power among Iraqi ethno-sectarian groups and the country's role in the region.