A frustrated Ayad Allawi has made a deal with Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki to accept a position in the new government so long as the Iraqi government follows through on a deal from the U.S. to create a "power-sharing" coalition government. With Allawi no longer a threat, al-Maliki can now return to his leadership role and create this new government by the December 25 deadline. Al-Maliki has not yet announced Allawi's role, though he is expected to become the chairman of a newly created committee that will tackle national strategic issues. Allawi, who garnered little support for his Iraqiya party during the elections, was the interim prime minister in 2003. But al-Maliki was able to win the support of the Kurds and followers of anti-American cleric Moktada al-Sadr, despite the fact that both groups were opposed to the prime minister's re-election.
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