Iraq: Security post possibilities

Although the ministerial security posts have yet to be decided on, the rumour mill continues to churn out the names of the latest nominees. Among the main names in the running this month is that of Sadoun Delaimy, touted as the next defence minister. Delaimy is an Iraqiya nominee from Al-Anbar. He has a PhD in social psychology from the UK. He left Iraq in 1986 and was later sentenced to death in absentia for planning to overthrow the Saddam Hussein regime.

He returned to Iraq after the fall of the Ba'athists and was defence minister from 2005–06. He was appointed culture minister in the current government, but Iraqiya is reportedly pushing for him to be given the Defence Ministry once again.

The current favoured candidate for interior minister is Tawfiq Al-Yasseri, who is the National Alliance nominee. Born in 1945, he graduated from military college in 1967. He took part in the Shi'a uprising against the Ba'athist regime in 1991, after which he escaped to Saudi Arabia.

From there he moved to the UK. As for the state minister for national security affairs, the current favourite is Riyath Ghareeb, who is from Kerbala. Born in 1954, he has a masters degree in engineering management from Baghdad University. He left Iraq in 1981. After returning to the country he became an MP in 2005. He is now a State of Law Alliance MP.

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