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Iraqi Deputy PM: Security will not reign
in Iraq without effective Iraqi Forces
29.6.2006
By Ma'ad Fayad
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Baghdad, June 29,
Asharq Al-Awsat- In the wake of the Iraqi
government’s latest national reconciliation plan,
aimed at stemming sectarian tensions and violence,
Asharq Al Awsat met with Barham Saleh, the Deputy
Prime Minister, in his offices in Baghdad on Sunday.
He spoke with candour and insight about the
country’s ongoing security problems and the
difficulties facing Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s
government. On Sunday, al Maliki unveiled a 24-point
initiative calling on insurgents to lay down their
weapons and join the political process, promising an
amnesty for opponents who have not been involved in
acts of terrorism.
“This is a bold initiative. It takes into
consideration a host of problems that Iraq is
currently suffering from. We have to be brave and
admit mistakes have occurred in the political
process, since the fall of [Saddam Hussein’s] regime
until the latest elections. They marked a turning
point in Iraq, with all sections of society and
groups taking part and the result led to the
formation of a national unity government.” |
Dr.Barham Saleh, Iraqi
Deputy Prime Minister |
However, Saleh was quick to admit, “I do not claim
that this cabinet is exemplary. Everyone admits that
it reflects the political situation in the country.
Its diversity is its strength and weakness.
Decisions and national consensus won’t be easily
attainable but this gives us the power to deal with
the country’s problems.”
The official in President Jalal Talabani’s Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan said one of the biggest
impediments to a safe and secure Iraq was the
reliance on “private security to protect individuals
and facilities. Armed groups under the command of
one political party or another [have emerged]. There
needs to be an Iraqi decision to implement the
constitution and the law.”
“One of the reasons these armed groups have come
into being is the lack of security. Every group
wants its own armed wing to protect itself and
threaten others. In most cases, it is [only] for
intimidating [others].”
While recognizing that Iraqi governments in the last
three years lacked legitimacy and weren’t recognized
by all Iraqis, Saleh emphasized that the current
situation was markedly different. Prime Minister al
Maliki’s cabinet, he said, “represents the vast
majority of Iraqis if not all Iraqis. The government
is serious in wanting to bring weapons under its
control, through the ministerial committee for
national security and the national reconciliation
initiative, and the political council for national
security, which held its first meeting on Monday.”
“I’m not saying that the security plan is sufficient
to solve the security problem, but it will be one of
the methods available to us to bring about a stable
security atmosphere in Iraq. There are also
political means at our disposable. We have to work
hard to prove ourselves to Iraqi citizens who have
grown weary of repeated political promises on
security, services and the economy.”
Assessing the challenges ahead, the Deputy PM said,
“I have to be honest with Iraqi citizens. The
challenges that lie ahead are numerous and the
security problem will not be resolved overnight. Al
Qaeda wants to prove that it remains strong
following [Abu Musab] al Zarqawi’s death. We believe
Al Qaeda, as a terrorist network, remains a danger
to this country.”
In recent weeks, the government has sought to
transfer the control of several Iraqi provinces to
the newly trained Iraqi forces. “Iraqis have to deal
with security breaches in their own country. If
there are no effective Iraqi forces, security will
not reign across Iraq. The Prime Minister wants to
develop our forces and create new units and equip
our army with modern weapons that enable it to play
its role effectively,” Saleh said. He also revealed
that the multinational forces would hand over the
control of several provinces to the Iraqi army
according to a pre-arranged plan. “This will solve
the security situation,” he said.
On the subject of Baghdad and the ongoing violence
in the capital, where a third of the Iraqi
population resides, the Deputy PM said, “We are
discussing several ideas on whether to establish a
special force, called the Baghdad security force.
The city requires special treatment because of the
lack of coordination between the current security
services. There is even a sort of division between
neighborhoods; one neighborhood is controlled by a
certain group, and another is under the control of a
different group or ministry. This does not
correspond with the concept of national security.
National security means that everyone takes part,
Sunni and Shia Muslims and others, Arabs, Turks,
Assyrians and Turkmen. Refusing to point fingers at
any particular group, Saleh said, “I don’t want to
hold others responsible. We are all responsible.”
As for the economic situation in Iraq, Saleh said,
“Iraq is going through a disgraceful period, with
regards to the government’s administrative
performance. In the end, citizens expect concrete
results from the government. Corruption remains a
huge problem and is increasing.”
Oil production in Iraq has hit its highest level
since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Production has
risen to 2.5 million barrels per day from 2 million
during the US-led invasion, Hussain al Shahristani,
Iraq's oil minister said on Monday. He expected
production to rise to 2.7 million barrels per day by
the end of the year.
“According to the constitution, oil is the property
of the Iraqi people and the law regulating oil
production and export will be formulated to
guarantee that Iraqis benefit from their natural
resources. There is only one national oil policy
which represents all Iraqi regions.”
“In the next few days, we will present to the
cabinet an investment law. This will act as a strong
indicator of the government’s intention to encourage
the private sector to invest in Iraq. Despite
everything the country is going through, it remains
a good investment opportunity and is the biggest
investment market in the region and the world.”
Saleh stressed the need to separate religion from
politics in Iraq, “Because of the recent political
circumstances, there are many religious platforms
that are used for political aims and this hurts the
standing of religion in society."
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