August 4, 2007 (LPAC)--If the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki collapses, there is no question that it is the result of pressure from the White House. LPAC has reported on the mounting humanitarian disaster in Iraq, and there is growing controversy over evidence that Saudi-backed Sunni terrorist forces--protected by an alliance of Cheney and Saudi Prince Bandar bin-Sultan--are the biggest threat to both the U.S. forces, and to Shi'ites. EIRNS reported months ago that Cheney wanted Maliki out, as part of the buildup to war against Iran.

Over the last week, major developments make it appear that Maliki, who has openly criticized "surge" commander, Gen. David Petraeus for not protecting Shi'ites, could be ousted in the very near future. Maliki even asked Bush to remove Petraeus.

Writing for antiwar.com, Aug. 4, IPS news reporter Ali al-Fadhily highlights the following "nails in Maliki's coffin":

--On Aug. 1, a Sunni bloc, the Accordance Front, which has 44 out of 275 seats in Parliament, quit the government;

--On July 31, the Army Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Babaker Zebari, an ethnic Kurd, resigned his post, followed by nine other generals;

--Iraqi sources told IPS that Maliki's rival in the Shi'ite Dawa Party, ex-Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, is leading the revolt against him.

--In a related development, unidentified gunmen today assassinated an aide to Iraq's Shi'ite Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the fourth such assassination in two months, Voice of Iraq reports on antiwar.com.

At the same time, the Saudi role in backing extremist Sunni forces was exposed by U.S. Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad, in a June 20 oped in the New York Times, and again on July 29 in a CNN interview. Could this expose be a factor in getting Maliki out?