Kerry Vows ‘Intense and Sustained’ Intervention in Iraq

Continues to Press for 'Inclusive' Government

by Jason Ditz, 

While the Pentagon is still trying to secure the legal cover to ensure that their troops will be above the law, Secretary of State John Kerry is assuring Iraq that US intervention in their country will be “intense and sustained.”

Kerry, who met with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today, said he also pressed him on the question of forming a new “inclusive” government with Sunni Arabs and Kurds sharing power.

Kerry insisted Maliki had committed to begin the process of forming a new government by July 1, though it seems unlikely that any government led by Maliki will even be possible at this point, let alone a consensus one.

While Kerry downplayed that during his visit, the US last week was pressing Maliki to resign in favor of another Shi’ite ruler, with many indications that old friend-to-the-occupation Ahmed Chalabi might be among the US-favored choices.

Kerry’s pledged intervention did not include any specifics, beyond the 300 “military advisers” already pledged by President Obama last week.