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NEW YORK / Aswat al-Iraq: The Leaders of al-Iraqiya Alliance, its Chairman Iyad Allawi, the Parliament's Speaker, Usama al-Nujeify and Finance Minister, Rafi'a al-Issawi, have published a message in the New York Times newspaper on Monday, demanding the US
Administration to "link its support for Prime Minister, Nouri al-Malliky, with his implementation of the Arbil Agreement, issued by
Iraqi Kurdistan President, Massoud Barzani, calling on the Iraqi political forces to abandon their differences and agree on a common
plan to settle those differences.
The message demanded that the US assistance for the Iraqi Army, police and security forces, include a condition that they serve
the whole Iraqi Nation and not a single sectarian group or party.
"Iraq today is standing on the brink of a catastrophe, following US President Obama's commitment to end the war with Iraq, during
his last election campaign, but the end had ended in such a way that won't please anybody in Washington, as the prize that the
American soldiers thought that they had been fighting for, to achieve an active, democratic and non-sectarian state in Iraq, had
ended with an Iraq marching on an opposite direction, i.e.
towards a sectarian hegemony that includes the danger of a destructive
civil war," the message stressed.
The message added that: "since the 2010 elections in Iraq, we have witnessed the Iraqi state's following to al-Daawa Party, led by
Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, the breaking apart of the Judiciary, frightening of the opposition forces, the dismantling of independent
institutions, that encourage carrying out clean elections and fighting corruption; all this had taken place during the Arab Spring, at a
time when other states have eliminated dictators for the interest of democratic governments, whilst Iraq has had an opportunity to
to achieve, for the first time in the modern Middle East, a political power that transfer, through peaceful means among different
political parties, following decent elections; but, instead of that, it had become an arena for fighting among different sectarian
forces, according to their identities that had undermined the democratic development."
"We, the leaders of al-Iraqiya Alliance and the political alliance that won the largest number of seats in 2010 elections, representing
one-quarter of the Iraqi people, don't consider ourselves as Sunnis or Shiites, but Iraqis; and our election platform covers the whole
country, whilst we are now being chased and threatened by Mr.
Maliki, who is trying to kick us out of the Iraqi political life and create
the state of a single party," the message stressed.
The message pointed out that "the past few weeks, that witnessed the end of the American military presence, another military force
had moved to fill in the gap, with our houses and offices in Baghdad's Green Zone, were surrounded by the security forces of Mr.
Maliki, along with the imposition of a siege against our List, thing that was carried out with the blessing of the politicized Judiciary,
with charges against Iraq's Vice-President, Tariq al-Hashimy, with supporting terrorism and the move to sack Deputy Prime Minister,
Saleh al-Mutlaq."
"There also exists attempts to investigate with one of us, Rafi'a al-Issawi, charging him with having alleged links with revolting elements;
all this had taken place immediately after Mr.
Maliki's return to Iraq from Washington, in order to give an incorrect impression for Iraqis,
that he had been given a full authorization by the United States to carry such measures," it added.
The message stressed that "after the call by US Vice-President, Joseph Biden, for the protection of Iraq's National Unity Government,
Mr.
Malliki had threatened to form a government that completely keeps away the voices of other Iraqi opposition forces, at a time when
he had welcomed a group of Asa'eb al-Haq group, the shiite group, supported by Iran, who had kidnapped and killed five American soldiers
and four British citizens in 2007, to join the political process in Iraq."
The said Iraqi politicians, also pointed out in their message that: "such thing should not take place in the said way, when the Iraqi people had
got out after suffering blood and painful events, after the downfall of the regime of Saddam Hussein, hoping that it would achieve a more
flourishing future; And, after the 2010 elections, we felt that there had been a real chance to create a new Iraq, that can become a model for
the Region, whilst we feel that the United States is need to protect the political process, in order to avoid the violation of the Constitution and
the contribution in the development of the democratic institutions.".
The message also stressed that "in order to achieve stability, al-Iraqiya Alliance had joined the government of National Unity, after sharing
of power that was achieved about one year ago in Arbil, but for more than one year, Mr.
Maliki had rejected that agreement, and instead of
that he had concentrated additional powers in his hands, whilst the Arbil Agreement was supposed to allow the appointment of one of us,
Iyad Allalwi, to chair the proposed National Council of Strategic Policies, but he refused that appointment, because Mr.
Maliki rejects the
participation by anybody in his power of making the decisions."
"After 2010 elections, Mr.
Maliki had occupied the roles of Interior, Defense and National Security Ministers, followed by his decision to
give the authorities of both Defense and National Security cabinet posts for his supporters, without a Parliamentary approval, and,
unfortunately, the United States continued its support for Mr.
Maliki, after is negligence of Arbil Agreement and the strengthening of the
security forces that operate without a sense of democracy," it added.
The message said that "America now must work with the Iraqis to hold another national conference to settle the crisis, and we welcome
such step and express readiness for the settlement of our problems through democratic means, i.e.
through using the Arbil Agreement
as a point of beginning, but first Mr.
Maliki's office should stop issuing orders to the military units, thing that makes military appointments
taking place by one party, along with its attempts to undermine the Judiciary and that his Adviser for National Security to impose full
control on the Iraqi Intelligence and the National Security Ministry, that were supposed to be independent, but had become a practical
stretch for al-Daawa Party and Mr.
Maliki, along with the fact that they must abandon their control on the security units, that control the
Green Zone and terrorize their political opponent."
"The United States must make it clear that the sharing of power is the only choice, accepted in Iraq, and that the American support for
Mr.
Maliki is under condition of the achievement of Arbil Agreement and the cancellation of all unconstitutional bodies," it added.
It stressed that "the American aids for the Iraqi police, Army and Intelligence Bodies in those institutions, must be based on their
representation of the whole Iraqi National and not a single sectarian group or Party.
"We have been striving for years to achieve a strategic partnership with America, to help us build a liberal and national state, with
democratic institutions and culture; whilst that is taking place at a time when the American withdrawal would leave us in an Iraq,
controlled by a party military power protects a sectarian government," it added.
In conclusion, the message stressed: "We are happy that the courageous soldiers have returned to their Home to attend the
Christmas Holidays, wishing them peace and happiness, whilst Iraq is standing on the brink of catastrophe again, demanding
with all respect America's Leaders to understand that the unconditional support for Mr.
Maliki is the thing that is pushing Iraq
on the course of a civil war."
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Administration to "link its support for Prime Minister, Nouri al-Malliky, with his implementation of the Arbil Agreement, issued by
Iraqi Kurdistan President, Massoud Barzani, calling on the Iraqi political forces to abandon their differences and agree on a common
plan to settle those differences.
The message demanded that the US assistance for the Iraqi Army, police and security forces, include a condition that they serve
the whole Iraqi Nation and not a single sectarian group or party.
"Iraq today is standing on the brink of a catastrophe, following US President Obama's commitment to end the war with Iraq, during
his last election campaign, but the end had ended in such a way that won't please anybody in Washington, as the prize that the
American soldiers thought that they had been fighting for, to achieve an active, democratic and non-sectarian state in Iraq, had
ended with an Iraq marching on an opposite direction, i.e.
towards a sectarian hegemony that includes the danger of a destructive
civil war," the message stressed.
The message added that: "since the 2010 elections in Iraq, we have witnessed the Iraqi state's following to al-Daawa Party, led by
Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, the breaking apart of the Judiciary, frightening of the opposition forces, the dismantling of independent
institutions, that encourage carrying out clean elections and fighting corruption; all this had taken place during the Arab Spring, at a
time when other states have eliminated dictators for the interest of democratic governments, whilst Iraq has had an opportunity to
to achieve, for the first time in the modern Middle East, a political power that transfer, through peaceful means among different
political parties, following decent elections; but, instead of that, it had become an arena for fighting among different sectarian
forces, according to their identities that had undermined the democratic development."
"We, the leaders of al-Iraqiya Alliance and the political alliance that won the largest number of seats in 2010 elections, representing
one-quarter of the Iraqi people, don't consider ourselves as Sunnis or Shiites, but Iraqis; and our election platform covers the whole
country, whilst we are now being chased and threatened by Mr.
Maliki, who is trying to kick us out of the Iraqi political life and create
the state of a single party," the message stressed.
The message pointed out that "the past few weeks, that witnessed the end of the American military presence, another military force
had moved to fill in the gap, with our houses and offices in Baghdad's Green Zone, were surrounded by the security forces of Mr.
Maliki, along with the imposition of a siege against our List, thing that was carried out with the blessing of the politicized Judiciary,
with charges against Iraq's Vice-President, Tariq al-Hashimy, with supporting terrorism and the move to sack Deputy Prime Minister,
Saleh al-Mutlaq."
"There also exists attempts to investigate with one of us, Rafi'a al-Issawi, charging him with having alleged links with revolting elements;
all this had taken place immediately after Mr.
Maliki's return to Iraq from Washington, in order to give an incorrect impression for Iraqis,
that he had been given a full authorization by the United States to carry such measures," it added.
The message stressed that "after the call by US Vice-President, Joseph Biden, for the protection of Iraq's National Unity Government,
Mr.
Malliki had threatened to form a government that completely keeps away the voices of other Iraqi opposition forces, at a time when
he had welcomed a group of Asa'eb al-Haq group, the shiite group, supported by Iran, who had kidnapped and killed five American soldiers
and four British citizens in 2007, to join the political process in Iraq."
The said Iraqi politicians, also pointed out in their message that: "such thing should not take place in the said way, when the Iraqi people had
got out after suffering blood and painful events, after the downfall of the regime of Saddam Hussein, hoping that it would achieve a more
flourishing future; And, after the 2010 elections, we felt that there had been a real chance to create a new Iraq, that can become a model for
the Region, whilst we feel that the United States is need to protect the political process, in order to avoid the violation of the Constitution and
the contribution in the development of the democratic institutions.".
The message also stressed that "in order to achieve stability, al-Iraqiya Alliance had joined the government of National Unity, after sharing
of power that was achieved about one year ago in Arbil, but for more than one year, Mr.
Maliki had rejected that agreement, and instead of
that he had concentrated additional powers in his hands, whilst the Arbil Agreement was supposed to allow the appointment of one of us,
Iyad Allalwi, to chair the proposed National Council of Strategic Policies, but he refused that appointment, because Mr.
Maliki rejects the
participation by anybody in his power of making the decisions."
"After 2010 elections, Mr.
Maliki had occupied the roles of Interior, Defense and National Security Ministers, followed by his decision to
give the authorities of both Defense and National Security cabinet posts for his supporters, without a Parliamentary approval, and,
unfortunately, the United States continued its support for Mr.
Maliki, after is negligence of Arbil Agreement and the strengthening of the
security forces that operate without a sense of democracy," it added.
The message said that "America now must work with the Iraqis to hold another national conference to settle the crisis, and we welcome
such step and express readiness for the settlement of our problems through democratic means, i.e.
through using the Arbil Agreement
as a point of beginning, but first Mr.
Maliki's office should stop issuing orders to the military units, thing that makes military appointments
taking place by one party, along with its attempts to undermine the Judiciary and that his Adviser for National Security to impose full
control on the Iraqi Intelligence and the National Security Ministry, that were supposed to be independent, but had become a practical
stretch for al-Daawa Party and Mr.
Maliki, along with the fact that they must abandon their control on the security units, that control the
Green Zone and terrorize their political opponent."
"The United States must make it clear that the sharing of power is the only choice, accepted in Iraq, and that the American support for
Mr.
Maliki is under condition of the achievement of Arbil Agreement and the cancellation of all unconstitutional bodies," it added.
It stressed that "the American aids for the Iraqi police, Army and Intelligence Bodies in those institutions, must be based on their
representation of the whole Iraqi National and not a single sectarian group or Party.
"We have been striving for years to achieve a strategic partnership with America, to help us build a liberal and national state, with
democratic institutions and culture; whilst that is taking place at a time when the American withdrawal would leave us in an Iraq,
controlled by a party military power protects a sectarian government," it added.
In conclusion, the message stressed: "We are happy that the courageous soldiers have returned to their Home to attend the
Christmas Holidays, wishing them peace and happiness, whilst Iraq is standing on the brink of catastrophe again, demanding
with all respect America's Leaders to understand that the unconditional support for Mr.
Maliki is the thing that is pushing Iraq
on the course of a civil war."
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
