Initial optimism over the US Vice President Joe Biden’s recent visit to Iraq has disappeared and Iraqi politicians look on the trip largely as a failure. With the start of the American withdrawal looming large, they wanted to see a real solution to the parliamentary deadlock, ongoing since elections on 7 March.

Many Iraqis want to see a more active and assertive role taken by the US to solve the crisis.

Member’s of Iyad Allawi’s Iraqiya list urged the US administration and the United Nations, patrons of the political process in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, to intervene urgently.

Fattah al-Sheikh, a former Sadrist now representing Iraqiya said that he hopes to see the US do more to help end the political crisis.

"What is required from both sides is to complete their project for democracy in Iraq through putting pressure on the parties who reject the peaceful transfer of power and insist on keeping their status,” he said in what many will see as an attack on Nouri al-Maliki, the former Prime Minister.

Al-Sheikh’s views were echoed by Mahmoud Othman, an independent Kurdish MP, well known for his opposition to American interventions in Iraqi affairs. He said he hoped that the United States would “exert more pressure to form the next government before withdrawing its troops," explaining that "time is running out and Washington cannot wait any longer."

Joe Biden, who was given responsibility for Iraq by President Obama, was greeted with hope by Iraqis who thought his visit would expedite the formation of a new government.

The constitutional deadline for selecting the republic’s president and parliamentary spokesperson passed on 13 July with no one appointed to the roles and no sign of a power-sharing agreement between Iyad Allawi, whose Iraqiya list won 91 seats, and Nouri al-Maliki, whose State of Law coalition was edged out of first place.

Both men claim the post of Prime Minister.

Sources close to Iraqiya said that Biden proposed a deal that would see Jalal Talabani of the Kurdistan Alliance taking the post of President, Usama al-Nujaifi of Iraqiya being appointed parliamentary speaker, with Maliki getting the coveted Prime Minister’s job.

As for his main rival, Iyad Allawi, he would be posted to the role of President of the Political Council of National Security, which would be modified to increase the scope of the Iraqiya leader’s powers.

Biden’s proposal was not seen as acceptable or realistic by Iraqiya’s leadership. Allawi’s new role would come with veto power giving him the right to check the Prime Minister’s power.

With both the Presidential Council and Parliament currently possessing the same veto and with those two vetoes already hindering the government’s decision-making and action-taking abilities, granting yet another veto to appease Allawi was seen as just another complication in an already bewildering situation.

The failure of Biden’s visit coincided with widespread criticism of the tenure of the US Ambassador to Iraq, Christopher Hill, who is leaving his role for an academic post in the US. Hill was unsuccessful in pushing Iraq’s political factions towards consensus since the March elections.

Othman was critical of Hill’s performance, saying he “did not put pressure on political parties like [former ambassador, Zalmay] Khalilzad, who used to head meetings between rival blocs and intervene in every matter regardless of its significance or whether he was asked to do so.”

With the acceleration of steps to reduce US forces to 50,000 by August, which is impossible in the absence of political authority in Baghdad, Hill will be replaced by James Jeffrey, who is expected to play a role similar to that played by Khalilzad, pushing rival factions together towards agreements.

Khalilzad, who is of Afghan origin and who was instrumental in forming the government after the 2005 elections, is still highly respected in Iraq, having built strong relationships with Iraq’s different groups, bring the Sunnis back into the political process, putting an end to Jaafari’s ambitions for a second stint as Prime Minister and being deeply involved in ministerial affairs, especially national security issues.

It is important that someone with similar abilities to convince Iraqis to make substantial concessions be in the role. Jeffrey, the new ambassador, has extensive James Jeffrey, the new Ambassador, has extensive experience in Iraqi affairs qualifying him to play a role similar to that of Khalilzad.

Jeffrey worked as vice president of the US mission in Iraq between June 2004 and March 2005. Afterwards, he became charge d’affaires. Earlier, he was assigned to the Iraq section of the US State Department and was special adviser to the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has good ties with many Iraqi politicians and the last diplomatic post he held was the US Ambassador in Turkey.

His appointment suggests a return to the ‘Big Stick Diplomacy’ of the Bush administration, which should see much more pressure put on the various Iraqi parties.

“Its first sign was the proposal made by the commander of US forces in Iraq, General Ray Odierno, to deploy UN peacekeeping forces in the disputed areas between the Kurds and Arabs when the troops leave Iraq,” explained Mahmoud Othman.

"Recent visits of American delegations to Iraq, all carried messages that the country is still under Chapter 7 [of the UN Charter] conditions,” which means that it is still the responsibility of the UN and that they are in a position to make decisions for the country.

“This means the UN can form a transitional government to run the country, bringing loss to all the parties competing for power in Iraq.”

This scenario is “unlikely” but “not impossible”, according to al-Sheikh.

"The continued political deadlock could make the US ignore security and political agreements that have been already concluded with Iraq."

The head of the UN Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Ad Melkert, said that the Security Council would look into various aspects of the Iraqi file early next month, including its status under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter and the process of forming the new government.

A last resort remains the holding of all-new parliamentary elections, according to Wael Abdullatif, a legal expert.

"This proposal means that things will return to point zero and requires time, which the Americans cannot afford to invest,” he said. “They want to get out of the country as soon as possible, so they are going to resort to other means first. But this is a serious option as a last resort.”