Late Saturday Evening Iraq Parliament News Highlights 8-6-22

Iraq's delegate to the United Nations: We are following up on the file of forming an international committee to look into the Turkish bombing

Posted On2022-08-06 By Sotaliraq    Today, Friday, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations, Muhammad Hussein Bahr Al-Uloum, confirmed that Iraq is following up on the file of forming an international committee to be informed of the Turkish bombing of Dohuk and pressure towards its formation.

Bahr Al-Uloum from New York said in an interview that "Iraq's sovereignty is not allowed to be violated by Turkey or others," noting that "the minister requested the formation of an international committee to review the bombing and visit the place."

He added that "Iraq is following up on the matter and pushing for the formation of the committee," noting that "Iraq made it clear to the United Nations not to make the land of Iraq an arena for settling accounts," noting that "Iraq asked the Security Council for a resolution that includes stopping the Turkish attacks on the country and withdrawing its forces."

Bahr Al-Uloum indicated that “the targeting of the village of Sakiri in the Amadiya district of Dohuk is nothing but a series of attacks, and the matter in general is being followed up with the Security Council to obtain a resolution obligating the Turks to stop the continuous bombing,” stressing that “Iraq has informed the United Nations of its unwillingness to escalate.”

Disclaimer: All published articles represent the opinion of its authors only   LINK

Al-Halbousi: The Will Of The Masses Cannot Be Overlooked By Early Elections Called By Al-Sadr

Posted On2022-08-05 By Sotaliraq   Al-Halbousi: The will of the masses cannot be overlooked by early elections called by al-Sadr 61843d9d4c59b74f97791dfbParliament Speaker: The will of the masses in early elections called for by His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr can not be neglected in any way    LINK

Can The Caretaker Government Hold Elections? .. A Legal Expert Clarifies

Posted On2022-08-05 By Sotaliraq    Legal expert Ali Al-Tamimi confirmed, on Thursday, that the government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, which is the caretaker government, can hold the new parliamentary elections, and there is no legal or constitutional impediment to that.

Al-Tamimi explained that “the dissolution of the House of Representatives is through two methods, the first method is to submit a request by a third of the members of Parliament and be voted on by an absolute majority, and the second method is that there is a request from the Prime Minister and with the approval of the President of the Republic, and Parliament also votes on it.”

Al-Tamimi pointed out that "the daily caretaker government cannot submit such a request because it was not elected by the same parliament, and therefore the first method is the only way available to dissolve the parliament."

A leader in the Sadrist movement said Thursday that the government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi will remain for the coming period, and it will hold the new early parliamentary elections. Called by the movement's leader Muqtada al-Sadr.

The head of the Popular Mobilization Authority and one of the leaders of the Shiite (coordinating framework), Faleh al-Fayyad, indicated, on Thursday, that the rerun of the parliamentary elections is no longer an issue specific to the Sadrist movement.

Noting, "The current government is a caretaker government, and the re-election is not within the powers of the caretaker government."

This and in accordance with Article 64 of the Iraqi constitution, first: The Council of Representatives is dissolved, by an absolute majority of its members, at the request of one-third of its members, or at the request of the Prime Minister and with the approval of the President of the Republic, and the Council may not be dissolved during the period of questioning the Prime Minister .

According to the second of the same article, the President of the Republic, upon dissolving the House of Representatives, calls for general elections in the country within a maximum period of sixty days from the date of the dissolution, and the Council of Ministers in this case is considered resigned and continues to conduct daily affairs. LINK

An Analysis That Raises Speculation About Al-Sadr's Motives And The Future Of The Political Process In Iraq

Posted On2022-08-05 By Sotaliraq   Al-Sadr's supporters stormed parliament twice in less than a week, and started a sit-in inside it

An analysis by the Washington Institute of Peace concluded that Iraq's stability is at stake in the midst of the current political crisis, which calls for a serious stance from the country's leaders and the international community alike to confront the crisis.

The  analysis , which was written by the director of Middle East programs at the Institute Sarhang Hama Saeed, found that Iraqis have different views on what Muqtada al-Sadr's goals and tactics are, noting that a large segment of the public views him as the agent of change required amid the failures of the political system in Iraq.

Last June, the Sadrist movement's 73 deputies resigned from parliament, after they held, as a bloc, the largest number of seats in it.

Al-Sadr, who has a wide popular base, showed that he is still able to mobilize the masses for his political goals, after his supporters stormed Parliament twice in less than a week, and began a sit-in, rejecting the nomination of Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani by the Iranian-backed coordination framework, to take over the prime minister.

What Does The Chest Want?

The writer says that there is a lot of speculation about al-Sadr's motives, including whether he was frustrated by the prolonged political stalemate and was preparing to resign from politics? Or did he abandon the political system and plans to confront the political class from the outside?

The writer also asks: “Was Al-Sadr’s life threatened by Iran because he aimed to exclude its allies from being part of the government?

Sadr's opponents thought that they had succeeded in thwarting him to the point of withdrawing from the political process and soon replaced his deputies, most of whom were members of their own, according to the writer.

He added that the coordinating framework and others believed that the path to forming a government had been paved, and that the leader of the State of Law coalition, Nuri al-Maliki, was looking forward to setting himself up for a third term in the prime ministership or choosing a prime minister from his close circle.

The writer believes that Al-Sadr's withdrawal from Parliament has put the current Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, his government, and Al-Sadr's political and parliamentary partners in a very difficult position.

Many of his opponents also believed that al-Sadr had lost a large number of his constituents, frustrated by his inability to form a government.

On the other hand, the writer indicates that many will not support any attempt to overthrow the regime and ignite a civil war between the Shiites, and neither will the Iraqi Shiite religious establishment in Najaf nor the international community support such a step, and also Iran will oppose the exclusion of its allies from power and the occurrence of any Shiite-Shiite fighting.

The writer continues that Sadr's opponents believe that Russia's war on Ukraine has changed many things, and that the United States and Europe need Iraq's oil.

With the production capacity of the Gulf states at its maximum, Iraq could compensate and produce more, so Sadr's opponents believed that Washington and Europe would accept a government formed by the coordination framework in the hope that it would prioritize oil production over reform and other governance issues.

It is clear that this turn of events has already shown that much of the thinking of Sadr's opponents did not work, according to the writer who noted that his call for Friday prayers in the scorching summer heat in Baghdad with tens of thousands of people responding showed that Sadr's support remains strong.

It shows that the seizure of the parliament building and other facilities in the Green Zone in the past few days and the invitation of other political parties, clan leaders and the Iraqi people to join what he called a “spontaneous peaceful revolution” clearly indicate that al-Sadr is keen to achieve his declared political goals to change the political system and fight corruption.

The writer asserts that his opponents now believe that he is truly headed toward the ultimate goal of placing political, economic, religious, and social power above everyone else.

The Role Of The United States

Hama Saeed says that there are contradictory perceptions in Iraq about the role of the United States, including that the prevailing thinking is that no prime minister will be appointed or can succeed if the United States and Iran do not agree to him.

At the same time, many political actors believe that the role and influence of the United States has diminished significantly in Iraq.

On the other hand, the writer points out that despite the tense relations between Al-Sadr and the United States in the past, some believe that Washington preferred Al-Sadr's formation of a government in order to strengthen Iraq in the face of Iran and its allies.

The author adds that the United States has an interest in a democratic, stable, and sovereign Iraq, and thus can work with its allies across the Iraqi political spectrum along with its European allies and the United Nations to encourage and support dialogue among the various actors to prevent violence, break political deadlock, and enable effective governance.

Where Is Iraq Heading?

The writer says that despite the many changes in Iraq, the main problem remains, which is an imbalance of power, unwillingness to accept the other, and limited efforts to implement what has already been agreed upon.

He continues that the political class is separated from the suffering of the public and behaves indifferently, while Iran, Turkey and other countries enjoy the influence of a strong competitor in Iraq, and the current crisis gives a greater opportunity to expand this influence, adding that internal problems provide space for others to exercise their influence.

Iraq's problems can be solved or mitigated if Iraqis work better with each other, according to the author, who believes that Iraq remains important to the stability of the region and the national security interests of regional and global powers.

He continues that the country possesses many elements needed for positive change, but still lacks a catalyst to harness these elements.

He adds that there are efforts to break the current political crisis, but the deep political impasse in Iraq will not be moved any time soon.

The writer concludes by saying, “Real change can happen if the political process becomes more expressive of the will of Iraqis, more than 60 percent of whom did not vote in the 2021 elections and did not agree with the political class.”    LINK

Iraq And Iran Discuss Developments In Regional And International Issues

During a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein discussed some bilateral, regional and international issues.

Mehr News Agency reported that Abdullahian asked Fuad Hussein for help regarding the fate of an Iranian citizen who was arrested in Saudi Arabia while performing the Hajj, and demanded that he be informed of a message for his release.

The two sides discussed the issue of opening the Kile crossing for travelers, and the latest developments in the ongoing negotiations in Vienna.  LINK

Important Statement For The Coordination Framework

The coordinating framework defined its position on the early elections called for by the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr.

Al-Attar said in a statement that it affirms its support for any constitutional path to address political crises and achieve the interests of the people, including early elections after achieving national consensus around them and providing a safe environment for conducting them.   LINK

Al-Monitor International: Al-Sadr's Relationship With Iran Is More Flexible And Pragmatic Than What Is Said

Baghdad/The Obelisk: A report by Al-Monitor International newspaper, Saturday, August 6, 2022, linked the meeting of the parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna for the first time in nearly six months, and between many events in the Middle East and the role of Iran in it.

The report considered that Iraq is the most sensitive flashpoint for the fighting between the United States and Iran since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, considering that Iran is watching the volatile and unstable situation, as it weighs its next moves and the fate of the Vienna talks.

The Iraqi political crisis is between the Shiite parties, and the powerful forces of power that support Iran - according to the description of the report - most notably former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the leader of the Badr Organization Hadi al-Amiri, in addition to other individuals and groups.

The report states that the commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ismail Qaani, was in Baghdad at the outbreak of the crisis, but his mission focused on mediation, not reaction, while the demonstrations between Sadr's supporters and the tire were noisy, but mostly peaceful.

The report considered that the current situation is fraught with danger, and could extend to the Kurdish and Sunni areas.

The report indicates that Iraqi and international parties support the proposal of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi and the Speaker of Parliament to launch dialogue and calm tensions.

The report believes that Iran's interest in Iraq is for the Shiite parties to remain united, but al-Sadr has made it more difficult.

While al-Sadr is not Iran's preferred partner in Iraq, the relationship is more fluid and pragmatic than is often said.

The report concluded by saying that if there is reconciliation between the Shiites, the deal will eventually take place between Sadr and Tehran.    https://almasalah.com/archives/9103

Al-Saadi Calls For Getting Rid Of Old Faces Before Holding Early Elections

A member of the Sadrist movement, Sabah Al-Saadi, called for getting rid of the old faces through a peaceful revolutionary democratic process first before holding early elections.

Al-Saadi said in a tweet on Twitter, that talking about holding early elections is a shorthand for the reform steps proposed by Muqtada al-Sadr, adding that talking about early elections is early, because he jumped on the first stage of the stages mentioned by al-Sadr, which is the most important, ending the existence of old faces. Through a peaceful revolutionary democratic process first.   LINK

Al-Amiri Waits.. And The Leaders Of The Movement: There Is No Meeting Until After These Conditions

Shafaq News/ Several sources reported on Friday, that there is no meeting in the coming hours that brings together the leader in the coordination framework Hadi Al-Amiri and the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada Al-Sadr.

A leading source in the Sadrist movement told Shafak News Agency; "The head of the Al-Fateh Alliance, Hadi al-Amiri, told some figures in the Sadrist movement that he would like to meet the leader of the movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, as soon as possible."

The source added; "These figures informed Al-Amiri that there is no dialogue that brings Al-Sadr together with the leadership of the framework unless the leadership of the coordination framework relinquishes the nomination of party figures, and actually agrees to hold early elections, as the Iraqi people and the sit-in aspire for it."

However, a source in the coordination framework told Shafak News Agency; That "Tritha occurred during the visit of Al-Amiri to Al-Hanana until the coordination framework was informed of the details of what Plasschaert discussed with Al-Sadr in today's meeting."

An informed political source revealed, earlier on Friday, that the leader of the Al-Fateh Alliance and the leader in the coordination framework, Hadi Al-Amiri, intends to visit the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada Al-Sadr, at the latter's headquarters in Al-Hanana in the city of Najaf, in the coming hours.

The United Nations envoy to Iraq, Jeanine Plasschaert, confirmed earlier on Friday that her meeting with the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, was positive.

"The meeting that brought her together with Al-Sadr witnessed the importance of finding a solution to the current political crisis," Plasschaert said, during a press conference, followed by Shafak News Agency.

In her response to whether there was an important message from al-Sadr, or signs of a political initiative, Plasschaert emphasized, "Al-Sadr will say what he has later."

On Friday morning, Plasschaert arrived in Najaf on an "unannounced" visit, during which she met al-Sadr at his residence in Hananah.     LINK

Watch the moment Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr arrived at Mr. Sistani's house in Najaf

Watch the moment the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, arrived at the house of Grand Ayatollah Sistani in Najaf   LINK

Close To Al-Sadr: The Visit Of The Leader Of The Sadrist Movement To The Grand Ayatollah Sistani Cam

Article at link   https://baghdadtoday.news/ar/news/197239/A