Be careful what you wish for? Only time will tell.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki welcomed radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's decision to pull out of government on Monday, saying it freed up seats at the cabinet table for "efficient ministers".
Earlier, pro-Sadr law-makers had announced that six Shiite ministers would leave the ruling coalition in protest at Mr Maliki's failure to set a timeline for the withdrawal of US forces from the war-torn country.
But, in a statement from his office, Mr Maliki portrayed the defection as a welcome opportunity to hand the six portfolios to ministers chosen for their abilities rather than their religious affiliation.
"Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki welcomed the announcement of his eminence Muqtada al-Sadr," the statement said.
Mr Maliki said that Sadr's decision gave him "the task of selecting efficient ministers for the posts formerly occupied by ministers from the Sadr bloc", without reference to sectarian power-sharing policy.
"The Prime Minister appreciates the support of the Sadr bloc to the political process but stresses that a sectarian sharing policy was not the right option to help Iraq in the face of challenges and difficulties.
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