Iraqi Premier Al-Maliki names minister of Defense

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki on Tuesday named the current Minister of Culture Saadoun Al-Dulaimi as the interim minister of defense. Official Iraqi Television said Al-Maliki asked Al-Dulaimi to take over the post because the Iraqiya Bloc was late in nominating a figure for the post. Al-Iraqiya of the former prime minister, Iyad Allawi, had the prerogative to nominate a figure for the post. Al-Dulaimi is a member of the Iraqi Unity Alliance, which is allied with Al-Iraqiya. An agreement among the country''s political parties stipulates that Al-Iraqiya should have presented their nominee for the post in a few days. Al-Dulaimi had served as minister of defense in a previous government chaired by Ibrahim Al-Jaafari.