(By ِAbdullah Raja; Translation by Yusra Ahmed)
(Zaman Alwasl)- In his talk to Zaman Alwasl before the Iraqi Parliament’s election of the new Prime Minister, Tariq al-Hashimi, the resigned Vice President of Iraq, expected that Nuri al-Maliki would not be elected as a Prime minister again whatever he did.
Al-Hashimi explained that Maliki is keen to stay in power to protect himself from accusation and judging at the International Criminal Court because of his crimes, as the political position gives him the Diplomatic Immunity and the USA gives him the political cover, which all would disappear if he lost his position.
Al-Hashimi does not think that changing figures and people in power could bring a complete solution to Iraqi crisis, especially with the latest on-ground developments in June, when 6 provinces became out of the Iraqi government control. All that would not be possible to solve with the recent lack of democracy, weak political performance and Iran’s control of Iraqi decision.
The resigned Vice President thinks that Iraqi crisis is going to last for long, but he believes that solution starts with stopping air strikes and ground military violation against the rebelled areas and withdrawing all military forces to their camps and centers. Besides preventing Iran from interfering in the inner Iraqi matters and withdrawing al-Qods militias, the Iranian special arms forces, from Iraq.
The best step to find a long term solution in Iraq according to Hashimi would be in finding a completely new band of serious and practical solutions target the roots of the crisis, not only mending methods which had proven its failure for two parliament rounds. “The solution should start with diagnosing the problem by honest and sincere reviewing of mistakes happened during the last 11 years to return to the direction toward building a civil democratic country suitable for all its people whatever their beliefs”.
Tariq al-Hashimi thinks that there is no need to start from scratch to build that kind of government and country, as Iraq had had its democratic experience before, although it was still developing and could’ve had good outcome if it was not systematically deviate by Maliki toward dictation. “we must confess that significant proportion of Iraqis believe in political solutions”.
In regard to Amman conference for Iraqi opposition, Hashimi expressed his respect to their points of view and recommendations despite they are different from what he believes in regard to political solution, as long as the opposition did not force its view on other.
The former Iraqi vice President believes that a round table meeting for all social “not political” groups in Iraq under international supervision to agree on three main points may find a solution to Iraq. “The main points should be the shape of the political regime, the nature of participation and resources control and the identity of Iraq and its relationships with other countries”.
The resigned Vice President confesses that Iraq is now divided at social and political levels because of Maliki’s actions. He does not believe that using military force and suppression would solve the problems but it will worsen the situation and increase the revenge among different sects in Iraq. However, he thinks that a pan Iraqi conference under international supervision would sort out the problems somehow.
AL-Hashimi is not happy with ISIS and its presence in Iraq, but he considers it as a fait accompli and the most powerful and organized armed group in Iraq. Beside that he does not agree with ISIS way of managing issues, because force, cruelty, extremism and exclusion would not build a country. “But in the same time we must admit that Sunni people in Iraq have suffered for long from Maliki’s suppression and they wanted relief and waited for rescuer. We agree that ISIS is not the best option and solution, but returning to Maliki is a worse option as well. Iraqi people and Sunni looking for a civilized country suitable for a multi-ethnic community”
In regard to Khilafat announcement, Hashimi declared that many Sharea, political and legal issues surrounded it and stopped against it.
Al-Hashimi expressed his anger for the double standards the international community has, as it turned the blind eye toward Maliki’s crimes against Iraqi people, in the same time most great countries would stop against ISIS and consider them terrorists.
The former Vice President does not agree with an American Military strike, he thinks that thing do not need force to solve, only political cautious solutions can help. “people in Iraq now under two hard options, Maliki and his supporters of Iranian militia, and ISIS with its terrorism, they look forward to international interference to help them in building the country of justice and fairness”
Al-Hashimi thinks that ISIS is a suspicious groups implement foreign agendas and aims to distribute mess and confusion. He feels that ISIS benefited Maliki and Iran the most, while Sunnis had disadvantaged, as Maliki’s violence against Sunni has disappeared from news, while the whole interest goes to ISIS and its invasion to Kurdistan Territory beside displacing Christians and Yazidis, while displacing Sunnis who exceeded half a million is ignored. “ISIS’s invasion to other territories is unjustified and Kurdistan territory has the right to defend themselves”.
Al-Hashimi ended his talk to Zaman Alwasl saying: “American administration did not dare to fight ISIS in Syria, as it seems they want it to grow and become stronger at the expense of other moderate fighting groups. In the same time, USA hits ISIS in Iraq declaring that they want to protect minorities, but the real reason is to weaken any power against Maliki. The same administration kept watching killing innocent people with explosive barrels in Iraq and Syria, now they want to interfere, and that would not be of any good to Iraqis”.
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