Rumors of coup in Iraq prompt Shiite warnings

Meanwhile, Iraq continues down the road to hell in a handbasket........

The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Rumors of coup in Iraq prompt Shiite warnings:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A Shiite Muslim political leader said Friday that rumors were circulating of an impending coup attempt against the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and warned that 'we will not allow it.'

Hadi al-Amiri, a member of parliament from Iraq's most powerful political party, said in a speech in the holy city of Najaf that 'some tongues' were talking about toppling al-Maliki's Shiite-led government and replacing it with a 'national salvation government, which we call a military coup government.' He did not detail the allegation.

A new government would mean 'canceling the constitution, canceling the results of the elections and going back to square one ... and we will not accept that,' he said. Al-Amiri is also a top official in the Badr Brigade, the armed wing of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, which is the leading member of a coalition of Shiite political parties governing Iraq.