Baghdad Journal: May 15, 2006

May 15, 2006 — -- Nouri al-Maliki, I wish I could quit you. Maliki is the prime minister "designate" for Iraq. Why isn't he the actual prime minister? Because he can't be sworn in until he puts together a cabinet. When will he finally announce his cabinet? Who the heck knows? And believe me, I am not really thinking "heck."

It has been five months since the election here. Five months. Can anyone remember as far back as December? It was a long, long time ago. There was a transit strike in New York City, "Brokeback Mountain" was just hitting the theaters, and the Beatles were launching their first American tour. The election was that long ago, yet there is no government in place.

I know how incredibly difficult it has to be to form a full-term elected government, really for the first time ever. But c'mon, it is not like this matter snuck up on anyone. And it really should serve as a giant, blinking, neon warning sign about some of the problems that might exist in this country going forward.

They are having a hard time forming a government because there are real, serious divisions within the Iraqi leadership, and in many cases, a gaping lack of trust. I am sure they will meet the drop-dead deadline, they always do, and maybe everything will work out, but it is a source of concern.

Moreover, it's personal. If Maliki doesn't name a cabinet by Friday, then I don't get to cover it, and I won't know if I won my "pick the agriculture minister" pool. I know I sound like a broken record on the Iraq government, and it is not as interesting as Fox the Dog. It must be exhausting to keep reading.

If you are exhausted and need a nap, I have the perfect place for you, a sort of sleeping nirvana. … Right here, Baghdad. I swear this city is like an urban Ambien. You could sleep for 20 hours a day here. You have giant fans in the rooms and air-conditioning blasting. We have big, thick, black curtains on the windows, which might be to protect against bombs for all I know. And, finally, you have a sort of depressing psychology in your favor, namely, "What good can really come from getting up?"

I know that sounds morose, and I don't really mean it literally -- there are a lot of nice people, and good news stories, etc., etc., etc. But there is a lot of nasty stuff that happens here, too, and it doesn't entice you to leap right out of bed in the morning.