That thought has dominated conversations in Baghdad's capital in the week since supporters of a powerful Shiite Muslim cleric stormed the heavily fortified Green Zone. Those allied with the cleric insist that Sadr's calls for reform are not part of a power play. "Sadr is part of the government, of the corruption and the quota system, part of the sectarian fighting. As supporters of the cleric, Muqtada Sadr, left the manicured lawns of an area that had been largely off-limits to them for 13 years, Sadr threatened to bring down the government and force new elections if the legislature fails to approve a Cabinet of technocrats — one not dictated by ethnic and sectarian quotas. And the United States dispatched an additional 25 U.S. Marines to bolster security at the U.S. Embassy compound.

Source: Los Angeles Times May 08, 2016 04:26 UTC