REUTERS – As Iraq moves forward into an era of supposed democracy, it is crucial to begin to understand the country’s leader. When PM Maliki first took office, the question was whether he could keep a grip on his power. Now, analysts are beginning to wonder if he can let it go. In a country where the people are accustomed to autocracy, Maliki’s troublingly authoritarian tendencies are of concern. And with a leader who “has long expressed doubt about the efficacy of his brawling partnership government of Shi’ite, Sunni and Kurdish factions,” the stability of the new Iraqi state could be in question.