Here's my Comment Is Free assessment of Maliki after his first year in office. A commenter usefully points out that I blithely referred to the Interior Ministry as "Maliki's," when in fact it's under the control of SIIC. Still, though, the broader point stands, which is that Maliki's sectarian agenda matches that of the Interior Ministry's rather seamlessly. The rest of his record suggests things wouldn't be different if Maliki managed to install a Da'wa figure at Interior. But I should have clarified that point. Thanks, internet, for your corrective distributed intelligence!