Iraq: Maliki, Sunni Arabs and the Defence portfolionote

The US embassy in Baghdad is said to be trying to convince Iraqi PM Nouri Al-Maliki to let the defence portfolio go to a strong Sunni Arab figure to satisfy the Sunni Arabs in western Iraq. The following 445-word report sheds more light on the subject and tells what about the names put forward by the US embassy and what about the reaction of Al-Maliki. It also tells what about the Sunni Arab position with regards to the whole relation with Al-Maliki.