海角大神

A web of lawsuits involving President Trump and his associates聽鈥� filed by Russian oligarchs, the Democratic Party, and a porn star, among others 鈥� may seem primarily like a source of cable news entertainment. But this civil litigation could pose grave risks to Mr. Trump and his presidency.聽聽

The assault allegations against the former New York attorney general disquieted many Democrats 鈥� as did reports that the women were urged not to reveal the abuse because it could hurt liberals' goals. The alleged violence and the reaction to it highlight a broader ethical dissonance in American society.

The strikes roiling France echo those of 50 years ago, when student protests nearly exploded into revolution 鈥� and created a touchstone for others feeling aggrieved. One labor union official points to a 鈥渓ack of [political] evolution鈥� as a reason unrest has revived.聽

鈥淥rwellian nonsense.鈥� That's how the White House described Chinese efforts to force airlines to toe the Communist Party line on Beijing鈥檚 territorial claims. But faced with an enormous, nationalistic market, is complying simply the price of doing business in China?

If you tune into Europe鈥檚 premier TV song competition this year, the odds are better than ever that the lyrics you hear won鈥檛 be in English 鈥� a marked break from the recent past. No isolated event, the shift away from English could hint at what awaits in a post-鈥淏rexit鈥� Europe.

This weekend, Iraq holds its fourth election since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and the first since the defeat of Islamic State (ISIS) last year. As one of the Middle East鈥檚 few democracies, it is still on a sharp learning curve. Yet it seems to be adopting one big lesson: Don鈥檛 mix mosque and state.

Most of the country鈥檚 political parties are religious based (Sunni or Shiite). Yet over the past 15 years, their leaders have mostly proved corrupt or ineffective in running government. In the eyes of Iraqis, they have sullied their particular brand of religion, just as ISIS certainly did during its violent 2014-17 caliphate.

For this election, campaign themes have had to be more secular, offering practical promises such as rule of law and clean governance. In addition, more Sunni and Shiite politicians are partnering up.

One reason is that more Iraqi voters demand to be treated as citizens, not congregants. They have lived through 15 years of sectarian violence. Their identity has broadened to embrace the common traditions and civic interests of other Iraqis. While many voters are still too cynical to vote, for those who plan to cast ballots, the parties are singing an inclusive tune.

That is an uphill struggle. The electoral system, devised in 2005 under United States guidance, sets a quota system for power based on Iraq鈥檚 religious and ethnic communities. The power sharing only reinforces the notion that each group is due a portion of government spoils and therefore each should hang together. Years of sectarian strife are what left a political vacuum for ISIS to fill. It also allows Iran to wield more influence over the Shiite-based parties.

The greatest champion of keeping religion out of politics happens to be Iraq鈥檚 most revered Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. In a statement a week before the May 12 election, he asked Iraqis not to vote along sectarian lines, to avoid foreign influence, and for clergy not to endorse any party. He also warned voters not to vote for politicians 鈥渨ho are corrupt and those who have failed鈥� in their posts.

鈥淭here is hope that the possibility of correcting and reforming the course of governance can be achieved through the concerted efforts of the people of this country and the use of other legal methods available for that,鈥� he stated.

In the past Mr. Sistani鈥檚 words have rallied Iraqis in times of crisis. He is an opponent of Iran鈥檚 system, in which one religious leader holds supreme power, because of its inherent denial of equality before God.

After the election, Iraqi politicians may again go to their sectarian corners and haggle in divvying up key government positions. But if Sistani鈥檚 call to put the country's interest first reaches voters, we may see less 鈥渕osque鈥� and more 鈥渟tate鈥� in Iraq's public affairs.

View gallery