Maliki and the story of the White Coup

Former members of the Baath Party and supporters of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein have reportedly conspired to launch a bloodless coupe against the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

According to a report published by the Iraqi daily al-Bayyna al-Jadidah, "the White Coup" against al-Maliki that had the endorsement of the United States, was masterminded by Baathist figures, including Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri and Yunis Ahmad-- both close aides to Saddam.

Based on reports, the coup plotters-- including some new leaders of the Baath Party-gathered in the Baghdad neighborhood of Yarmouk three weeks ago to discuss the plot.

The scheme covered many areas of activities to weaken and finally overthrow the democratically- elected government of al-Maliki. The coup plotters were planning to infiltrate their elements into Iraq's ministries, spread propaganda against al-Maliki's government, stage anti-government protests and crate chaos in the war-torn country. They wanted to infiltrate members of some Sunni groups with pro-Saddam sympathy into key ministries such as the Ministry of Defense, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Economy. The zero hour of the coup codenamed "the Liberation of Baghdad" is believed to be two weeks ago.

In a seemingly reaction to the recent developments, Iraq's Vice President, Adel Abdel Mahdi had earlier raised the alarm about the possibility of coup in the already crisis-hit country and warned against the Army's interference in politics. He called for defining the framework of the armed forces' activities and tasks.

There is no doubt that the Iraqi Army and security agencies critically need reorganization. Some reports based on reliable documents have suggested that US spy agencies and the Baath Party have managed to embed their agents in the country's military and security institutions.