Iraq's Maliki: I Won't Run Again, Either

His spokesman says this has nothing to do with Egypt-Tunisia-Yemen-etc., in which case the timing sure is a happy coincidence: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki promised today that he won't run for a third term in 2014 and will push for a constitutional amendment to limit his successors to two terms, reports AFP. The surprise announcement came a day after he voluntarily slashed his own $360,000 salary in half.

"The constitution does not prevent a third, fourth or fifth term, but I have personally decided not to seek another term after this one, a decision I made at the beginning of my first term," said Maliki. A Sunni opposition member isn't buying the line that the region's unrest wasn't a factor, notes the New York Times. Maliki "saw what is going on the Arab streets and he knows the Iraqi street is not satisfied with what he has given them," he says. (More Nouri al-Maliki stories.)