In Iraq, lawmakers have finally formed a new unity government, five months after the December election. The government led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki met for the first time this week inside the U.S.-controlled Green Zone. Several key cabinet positions remain unfilled including Minister of Defense and Minister of the Interior. On Sunday President Bush called leaders in Iraq to congratulate them on the new government.

President Bush: “The formation of a unity government in Iraq is a new day for the millions of Iraqis who want to live in peace. And the formation of the unity government in Iraq begins a new chapter in our relationship with Iraq.”

The New York Times reports the Bush administration played a major role in the formation of the new government. The U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad personally reviewed and vetted candidates for crucial ministries and urged rival Iraqi party leaders to sign on to the new government. U.S. officials are also being placed inside key ministries to act as advisers. On Sunday the new Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki vowed to bring stability to Iraq and to use “maximum force” to end the violence that has killed thousands in recent months.