New Government Approved in Iraqi Parliament

The Iraqi parliament has unanimously approved a new government, with incumbent Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister. Parliament approved 29 of the 42 Cabinet ministers on Tuesday, nine months after inconclusive March elections that had kept the county in a political stalemate. "Acting ministers" will fill the13 remaining Cabinet posts until they are approved by parliament. Mr. Maliki submitted his list of Cabinet ministers late Monday, but lawmakers postponed a vote on the list after some parliament members complained about the "acting ministers." Mr. Maliki is to serve as acting minister for the posts of interior, defense and national security until nominees are designated.

solidifying the grip that Shiites have held on political power since Saddam Hussein's ouster while leaving open the question of whether the country's disgruntled Sunni minority will play a meaningful role. And this fragile coalition must address enormous and pressing challenges such as the heavy cost of rebuilding from the devastation seven years of war has wrought and lingering sectarian tensions that periodically explode into violence. Another urgent priority will be leading the country through the withdrawal of American troops, scheduled for the end of next year. More than 4,400 American troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis died in a war that has yet to bring stability and prosperity to this oil-rich Middle Eastern nation.