Is a Lousy Deal Better than No Deal?

"According to news reports here, the Shiite alliance has made it clear to Maliki that they will not support his candidacy for prime minister. Without the alliance, he simply can't win anywhere near enough votes in parliament for a second term. The problem with the alliance is they are unable to agree on a different candidate, leading us to believe they will support Ayad Allawi.

The reports also say that tomorrow (Tuesday) morning Maliki will meet with Allawi. They definitely feel the pressure to set up a government. Since the start, Allawi has said he will work with anyone. Originally the other politicians ignored Allawi, but now that the court certified the election results, he is acknowledged by all as the winner of the most seats in parliament.

It is possible that Allawi and Maliki will reach some sort of agreement. In other words, it is possible that Allawi will be supported as prime minister by his fellow lawmakers. The worry is that he will be a weak prime minister because the rest of the politicians will block most, if not all, his efforts to get anything done. Such a deal would be frustrating for Allawi, and it would be frustrating for the Iraqi people."
IraqPundit