Power struggle adds to Iraq’s woes

Iraq’s president snubbed incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and picked another politician to form the next government yesterday, setting up a fierce political power struggle even as the country battles extremists in the north and west.

The showdown came as the US increased its role in fighting back Sunni extremists of the Islamic State group threatening the autonomous Kurdish region in the north.

American officials said US intelligence agencies are directly arming the Kurds battling the militants in what would be a shift in Washington’s policy of only working through the central government in Baghdad.