It is important that the Iraqi government does not fall into the trap of representing the interests of one particular group or sect within the country. Iraq is a heterogeneous Arab state with large populations of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds, as well as many other smaller minorities, all of whom are an integral and historic part of the country.
The impression given by Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki after the departure of the last American troops in December 2011 is that his State of Law coalition has moved to favour the Shiite population of Iraq on many issues, and the opposition Al Iraqiya bloc has boycotted parliament to indicate its deep unease with the new developments. In addition, Al Maliki's allegations of violence against the Vice-President Tarek Al Hashemi may or may not be provable, but the Sunni vice-president did not wish to trust Al Maliki's courts and fled to Kurdistan and has now sought refuge in Saudi Arabia.
The key to long-term success in Iraq is for the Baghdad government to recognise the importance of the different constituents of the Iraqi population, and acknowledge that any long-term answer must be inclusive. No authoritarian government in Baghdad can enforce political stability in Iraq, much less so if that government follows the policies of one particular sect.
There is a danger that Al Maliki's government in Iraq has drifted so far to become a so-called Shiite government that relations with notable Sunni states like Saudi Arabia may become even worse than they are at present, to the great detriment of the whole region. The Arab world wants Iraq to play a significant role in helping to tackle the region's issues, as its history and size deserves, but to achieve that, Iraq cannot come from a sectarian start.
