The Iraqi Future

Who Won the Iraq War?

2011-11-18T18:19:00.001-08:00

"The visit aims to develop bilateral relations, as Iran and Iraq are two friendly countries and neighbours, who must have very close relations," The Iraqi armed forces chief of staff, General Babak Zebari, made the remarks during a meeting with General Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards' ground forces in Tehran earlier this week. -AFP

**This article was originally published at Good Bye and Good Luck, a newsletter at the Dept. of Government at the University of Texas. Click here to find original link.

By Ali Rawaf

Last month, President Obama announced the end of the Iraq war, saying the last few thousand troops would withdraw by Dec. 2. While polls show a majority of Americans support the president’s decision, Iraqis have become significantly concerned over increased meddling from Iran. The State Department has warned Iran against interfering in Iraqi internal affairs after the troops leave and also told the Iraqis that Iran will not be a problem in the future. The truth is that U.S. officials underestimate Iranian influence and control in Iraq and the region.

Iraq’s Prime Minister, Nuri Al-Maliki, who didn’t win the last elections, was able to form a government only because Iran, a Shiite state, pressured the Shiite groups in the country to rally around him and give him the vote of confidence. Al-Maliki, a divisive figure even amongst the Shiites, has been returning the favor to Iran ever since. He has sent the Iraqi army to crack down on Mujahidee Khalk, an Iranian opposition group that has been based in Iraq for a couple of decades. Despite calls from international human rights groups to halt the attacks on the group’s camp, Al-Maliki still periodically sends Iraqi troops to intimidate them. He has vowed to remove the group from the country at the end of the year.

Iranian influence goes well beyond Iraq. In Syria, Iran has been transferring weapons to the Assad regime and abetting Assad’s crackdown on protestors opposing the regime. Last month, California-based BlueCoat said that internet surveillance devices which were sold to the Iraqi government were later found to be used by the Syrian regime to crack down on protestors. How did that happen? The Iranian regime bought those devices for Syria under the name of the Iraqi Communications Ministry.

Al-Maliki is also returning a favor to Iran by keeping quiet about the developments in Syria. As the Syrian regime employed the army to crack down on its people, Al-Maliki hosted a group of Syrian officials and entrepreneurs to strengthen economic ties with the Syrian regime. And recently, Al-Maliki’s foreign minister said Baghdad is committed to preventing any action against Iran.

In the Palestinian territories, Iran funds Hamas, the militant group blocking Palestinian-Israeli peace, and Hezbolla, the anti-western, militant Shiite group in Lebanon. In Yemen, Iran funds extremist, militant Shiite groups.

If Iran is this influential without nuclear weapons, I can only imagine what happens when Tehran acquires such weapons.

If the U.S. follows through with a complete troop withdrawal, Iran would be the sole winner of the Iraq war. The war would have only cleared the way for Iran to exert more influence in the region. After the president’s announcement of a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, an Iranian delegation visited Iraq and signed economic and political agreements with the Iraqi government, whereas there have been mere talks about such agreements between the United States and Iraq.

Iraq’s strategic location in the Middle East would have served as a good check on the encroaching Iranian regime. Now, Iraq can’t even protect its airspace and its borders. While a prosperous and democratic Iraq would set a good example for the band of countries where people are demanding democracy, a failed one would serve as poster child for how democracy can fail in the Middle East. There is still a chance for negotiations to resume and possibly leave a couple of thousand troops in Iraq. If these negotiations fail, Iraq will be in the hands of Iran and the lost lives of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of American soldiers would have been in vain.

Iraq Abstained as Arab League Voted on Syria Suspension

2011-11-12T09:42:00.001-08:00

The Arab League decided to suspend Syria's membership.
Lebanon and Yemen voted against the measure. Iraq abstained from voting.

By: Ali Rawaf

A month after Iraq’s government had cracked down on former members of the Iraq Baath regime, it abstained from voting to suspend Syria’s Baathist regime from membership in the Arab League.

Only two countries voted against the suspension: Yemen and Lebanon. It is understandable why those two would vote as such. The Yemeni is also facing public demonstrations and protests, demanding democracy. Lebanon’s government, which used to be overwhelmed by Syrian influence, is now dominated by Hezbolla, a militant and political group funded by Iran.

Iraq, on the other hand, should have been leading the effort to suspend Syria’s membership. After all, it is the first country in the region that has experimented with democratization. The Iraqi government, which consists predominantly of Shiites and Kurdish politicians, shouldn’t forget how Saddam Hussein massacred the Shiites and the Kurds when they revolted against the government in 1991.

This is yet another alarming move by the Iraqi government. Such actions invoke only concerns amongst Iraqis. Last month, the government launched a campaign of arrests against former Baathists. More than 600 former Baathists were arrested, some of which were government employees and college professors. Why the crack down on harmless civilians but The Iraqi Prime Minister said the Baath Party, which is banned by the constitution, was conspiring to bring down Iraq’s new democracy, a claim which Iraqis have heard too many times.

If anything, Iraq's decision seems like another favor to Iran, which has pressed the Iraqi government to support the Syrian regime. A few months ago, Prime Minister Al-Maliki hosted a group of Syrian officials and entrepreneurs to strengthen ties with the next-door neighbor, while the rest of the world was calling on the Syrian president to step down.

Iraq’s abstention to vote to suspend the membership of Syria’s violent and authoritarian regime offers one more clue as to where Iraqi might be headed in the future.

Gaddafi: Born and Killed in Sirte, Libya

2011-10-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

By: Ali Rawaf

In this video, a bunch of the rebels are dragging Gaddafi down the street, htting him, and pulling his hair. Through out the video, one can hear a couple of them yelling "Keep him alive." One of the rebels repeats to Gaddafi, "This is Misrata you dog," referring to the fact that people of city that was bombed the most by Gaddafi's forces have captured him. The camera turns and voices are heard yelling "No, no, no." Gun shots are heard then the crowd starts yelling "God is great, God is great."

It is ironic that the last words of a man who ordered the shooting of thousands of people were “Don’t shoot.” It is also ironic to see the people who revolted against him for his violent control of Lybia end up treating him so violently.

When Saddam Hussein was hung amidst a cheering crowd, telling him to go to “go to hell”, I thought that was barbaric for a country that was trying to put behind decades of violence. But the Libyan rebels took a lot further with their dictator. They shot him in the legs and the head. They dragged him down the street, while hitting him and yelling at him, “shut up you dog.” Gaddafi tried to dodge the punches and wipe his bleeding face.

Later footage shows him lying on a bed of a truck, covered in blood, surrounded by a cheering crowd. “God is great,” they chanted, probably the same word Gaddafi himself chanted when he lead a military coup on his predecessor 42 years ago.

As Gaddafi fell, the chants got louder and the crowds started shooting in the air, celebrating his death.

His son was captured without any injuries. Shortly after, it was reported that he was killed for trying to fight his captors. He wasn’t armed. He was shot four times in the back.

I am not mourning Gaddafi’s death and I am not speaking against the revolutionaries of Libya but what I am trying to say is that it doesn’t make sense to change an era of violence with such an act. On paper, Gaddafi and his son were killed without a trial. This is not a good precedent for a country that wants to build a peaceful democracy.

What Libyans and other revolting countries need to realize is that they are setting precedents. The more peaceful and civilized they are, the more they will advance their cause. It would have made a big difference if the dictator was put through trial. Now, from the beginning, the new Libyan government will have to deal with accusations of violating human rights. Putting him to trial could have been a good initiative to promote rule of law. But they didn't. Nato and the Libya’s National Transitional Council signaled that Gaddafi’s death would end the military operations. The future of Libya is just as uncertain as the way Gaddafi died (or was killed). What I’m certain about is that this is not a good way to start a peaceful democracy.

Iraqi's Dissatisfaction with Economy Hits Record High

2011-10-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

By: Ali Rawaf

A survey conducted by Gallup Polls shows Iraqis have grown more dissatisfied with the economic conditions of the country. Between January 2010 and early 2011, the number of Iraqis who think the economy is getting worse has significantly risen to 37 percent, up from 20 percent last year.

Survey results show more than half of Iraqis are dissatisfied with their standard of living. A third of the population struggles to pay for shelter. A UN report also shows that more than half of Iraqis live in slum conditions.

Iraqis don't see an end in sight. Even though the country's revenue have increased, especially after the rise in oil prices and the increase in the Iraq's oil output, the government has failed to implement policies to incentivise the economy. The private sector remains weak and public sector jobs are mostly given to individuals with connections or party affiliations. 65 percent believe it is a bad time to get a job in cities where they live.

The Iraqi political elite has failed to enact legislation to provide any form of stability to the economy. The country lacks law to protect the rights of private business and lacks any incentives for foreign entities to come in for investments. Building the infrastructure can provide people with many jobs. Reviving agriculture can provide jobs. Foreign companies can be invited to invest in the country and hire Iraqi people. These are few possible solutions. The political body can do much more to help the economy, if they put their differences aside and work on common interests of the Iraqi people.

Sources: Gallup
http://www.gallup.com/poll/149702/Economic-Negativity-Abounds-Iraq.aspx

Can Iraq Let Go of the Death Penalty?

2011-10-04T16:58:00.000-07:00

By: Ali Rawaf

In the West, the debate over the death penalty has been heated and ongoing for a long time. Recently, the execution of Troy Davis, a former inmate in the State of Georgia in the US, has brought this subject back to the attention of the world. Different countries, religious groups, and human rights groups have protested the death sentence that was given to Troy Davis, who was convicted of killing a police officer 20 years ago but the evidence in the case wasn’t conclusive. In the Middle East, the death penalty hasn’t been as much debated as it is in the west. After all, most governments in the Middle East don’t have to follow the legal procedure to see the execution of their citizens.

In Iraq, courts have to deal with more than just ordinary killers and criminals. They have to deal with terrorists and mass killers so the death penalty is given more often than in other countries. In one court hearing in 2005, a woman described why she wanted the capital punishment for the killers of her son, “They broke his arms. They broke his legs. They took out his eyeballs […] I want the death penalty.” This is one of hundreds of similar cases and so, hundreds of death sentences have been given since 2003.

Under the counter-terrorism laws, the government had established the “secret informer,” a guarantee from the government that if one reports a terrorist activity, the person’s identity shall remain secret. Because of the “secret informer,” many have been arrested without real offenses and many have wrongly been executed.

According to Amnesty International, Iraqi authorities justify the use of the death penalty as form of deterrence, even though officials like the former Iraqi Human Rights Minister admit that it is useless. In 2010, the organization listed in its report that 1100 prisoners are under the sentence of death and most of them have ran out of ways to appeal their sentences.

Human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called on Iraqi authorities to stop the death penalty in the country, citing high numbers of death sentences, many of which are given without fair trials or without any evidence. The Parliament has finally paid some attention to this issue. The Human Rights Committee in Parliament announced today that they will debate a legislation to stop the death penalty in the country. Parliament members said that mounting pressure from human rights groups have pushed them to consider such a measure. Other members say, given the security situation, this type of legislation will not do the country any good at this point in time.

The question to Mailki’s government is how much do they really care about promoting reconciliation in the country? If they do care one tiny bit, ending the death sentence would be a good place to start.

Sources:

Iraq: Human Rights Briefing 2010 - Amnesty International

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE14/004/2010/en/20f0c384-7dc6-409d-a0fb-767c349ef41c/mde140042010en.html#4.3)%20Unfair%20trials|outline

Radio Sawa: Discussions About New Legislation to Stop Death Penalty

http://www.radiosawa.com/iraq/arabic_news.aspx?id=3378537&cid=2

Washington Post: Capitol Punishment Returns to Iraq

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/25/AR2005052501970.html

Iraqi Parliament is More Active

2011-10-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

By: Ali Rawaf

Today, Nuri Al-Maliki is seen more of an authoritarian ruler than a prime minister in a newly formed democracy. He fires opponents, ignores political promises and agreements, and defies the legislative and the legal system of the country. And Parliament doesn’t exercise its power to check on the Prime Minister.

In recent move that further demonized the second term PM, Maliki pressured the Chairman of Iraq’s Integrity Commission*, Judge Raheem Al-Ugaili to resign**. The PM’s party says the Chairman wasn’t qualified for the position anyways because he was a former Baathist and therefore shouldn’t hold such an important position. Maliki asked the Chairman to investigate two corruption cases in which two of Maliki’s opponents are involved. When, the Chairman refused to do so for lack of evidence, Maliki pressured him to resign.

In Maliki’s first term, Parliament would have overlooked the resignation of the Chairman and wouldn’t have sought for ways to check the power of the PM, who obviously has overstepped his boundaries. But not this time. A day late, a member of the Parliament’s Integrity Committee(Different from the Integrity Commission), Sabbah Al-Saedi issued a press release in which characterized the move as reminiscent of Saddam Hussein’s authoritarian regime and cautioned his fellow members that if this move goes unopposed, they are letting a new Saddam Hussein flourish in the country’s new democracy.

Maliki sought an arrest warrant against Al-Saedi, in which he claimed that his comments threaten the countries security. The warrant was issues, based on a law from the Saddam Hussein era under which opponents were criminalized.

In order for the arrest to go through, Parliament has to withdraw immunity from the member. A majority of the parliament stood by the member and didn’t withdraw his immunity. Further, Parliament voted for a new law for the Integrity Commission, where the Chairman is appointed and is fired by Parliament and not the PM. However, a day before the law was passed, Maliki used a law from the Coalition Administration under Paul Bremer to appoint a temporary Chairman for the Integrity Commission.

The Iraqi parliament got its act together to vote for the law. Now, will they get their act together to appoint a new Chairman for the Integrity Commission?

*Under the Iraqi Constitution, The Integrity Commission is one of the principal independent oversight bodies like the Electoral Commission and the Central bank. The Commission investigates corruption cases in government institutions. According to the Commission's website, it had succeeded in indicting more than 2000 government employees on the basis of fraud (Bribery) and/or providing false college degrees in their job applications.

**Judge Rahem Al-Ugaili was born in 1966, bachelor degree in Law from university of Baghdad in 1991. After his graduation at the Judicial Institution, he was appointed as a judge in 1997. Judge Izzat Twafiq is the fourth personality to hold the presidency of Commission of Integrity which was established by CPA where Mr. Rady Al-Rady was the first commissioner.

Website of the Integrity Commission: http://www.nazaha.iq/en_default.asp

Why US Troops Should Stay in Iraq

2011-04-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

By: Ali Rawaf

Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki and US Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates discuss US withdrawal during Gates" recent visit to Iraq

US Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates visited Iraq last week. In his visit, Gates asked Iraqi officials to makeup their minds about whether they want the US troops to stay in Iraq. This marks the first time the Obama Administration mentions longer US presence in Iraq.

The Iraqis are split on whether they want American soldiers to remain in the country. Spokesmen from the Ministries of Defense and Internal Affairs have said the Iraqi military and police forces are ready to take the task of protecting the country on their own. Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki has been consistent in his public comments about abiding by the State of Forces Agreement (SOFA) which outline US military withdraws by August of this year. In press conferences in March, Maliki went to the extent of saying that “

Iraq

is the safest country in the region,” citing the violence sweeping other Middle Eastern countries, where protests are taking place.

But these comments made by Maliki and other Iraqi officials don’t reflect the reality in Iraq. A few days ago, a group of armed men, set off a car bomb in front of the City Council building in the province of Sallahuddin. After, those men stormed into the building and took everyone in the building as hostages. Two of the hostages were members of the City Council. A few minutes later, American soldiers arrived on the scene and were followed by the Iraqi Army. The story ends by the Iraqi army throwing grenade and killing the terrorists and everyone else in the building, including the City Council members. If this story tells anything, it is that the Iraqi military is by no means ready to handle the county’s security. This is not to mention the recent escalation in the number of car bombs, kidnapping, and assassinations.

Nevertheless, Muqtada al-Sadir, the anti-American Shiite cleric and al-Mahdi militia leader, called on his followers to go out and protest Gate’s comments and ask for complete military withdrawal. Muqtada wasn’t the only politician who denounced Gates’ comments. This diverts Iraqis’ attention from protesting against poor service and government corruption to be focused once again, against

America

and the West.

Iraq needs the American troops to stay. Even though

Iraq

is getting very slowly better, the chances of success are still high. Iraqi people now want to be part of the political process. They voted and they are asking for better policies and a better government through demonstrations and protests. More importantly, the civil society is getting more robust. It would be a waste, considering the massive number of Iraqi civilian casualties and the lost lives of American soldiers, to suddenly pull out and leave the country vulnerable to terrorism and dangerous regional influence. Wikileaks documents show that many of the Iraqi politicians also want the US troops to stay and admit the need for their presence, despite what they say publically.

The protests in the Middle East might have shifted the American Administration’s attention to the region. For a while, the Administration is criticized for less engagement in Iraq. But Iraq’s future will have an effect on the outcomes of the transition in the Middle East. The Obama Administration might have just realized that. And Gates’ comments might be the early signs of that shifted attention.

Iraq: Guns vs. Butter, Butter Wins

2011-03-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

By Ali Rawaf

The American victory against Saddam Hussein's Army came mostly by air force attacks. The US outmatched Iraq's air force capabilities and was able to swipe of the Iraqi army in just a couple of weeks. The air force has also been one of Gaddafi’s main tools for devastating the rebel forces and gaining momentum once again.

Iraq’s air force stands weaker today than it’s ever had. The current aircraft capabilities don’t go farther than transportation purposes. So, if Iran was to attack us today with its overwhelming air force, it can demolish whatever Iraqi military capability in no time (if the US isn’t around anymore).

Two years ago, Iraq’s defense ministry bid for a number of fighter jets from the United States and won an unprecedented support for its bid from the latter. Iraq was able to order more than 90 F-16’s. In February, 18 of them were ready for purchase.

In February, however, Iraqis went on the streets and protested poor services, one of which was the national food program, which provides millions of Iraqis with basic food supplies such as flour, rice, and sugar. Iraq hasn’t been able to pay for these massive food subsidies partially due to the massive salaries Iraqi officials have granted themselves.

To appease the crowds, the Iraqi government diverted funds that were allocated for the purchase of the F-16’s to buy more flour, sugar, and rice. However, the pilots who traveled to the US to get training on flying the jets will continue their program.

I wouldn’t say this is the smartest move and makes me feel quite ambivalent.

On one hand, it is a good sign. If Saddam Hussein was still in power, he wouldn’t have given a second thought to purchasing the fighter jets. For him, advancing the military would have been more important than feeding the hungry crowds. On the other hand, this kind of move leaves more space for other countries to practice regional dominance, something that isn’t in Iraq’s best interest. I think the Iraqi government could have diverted money from other programs to purchase the F-16’s, all of which will be pending until Iraq has the money to purchase them.

Note: Guns vs Butter is a symbol for the economic policy of a government insofar as spending is allocated for either military or social purposes

In Facing Protests, Iraq's Democracy Looks More Authoritarian

2011-03-05T08:12:00.000-08:00

By: Ali Rawaf

Iraqi Forces surrounding Tahrir Square, where Iraqis protested poor services and high unemployment

Iraq, a democracy where elections were almost free and fair, didn’t treat its protestors any better than the rest of the authoritarian regimes in the region. The government took quick and violent actions to prevent Iraq’s protests from gaining momentum.

Since the inception of the protests, Maliki branded the activists who organized the protests as Baathists and member of al-Qaeda who were looking for opportunities to bring down the Iraqi government, despite repeated declarations that the protests were aimed at improving basic services and unemployment, not at removing the current government. This move, previously employed against political opponents, discouraged many people from voicing their discontent in the protests. Another fear-mongering announcement from Maliki’s office was humorous. In it, Maliki predicted that terrorists dressed in police uniforms will beat the protestors so people should be cautious.

On the eve of the protest, a curfew was imposed by the Prime Minister’s office (The Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces) until further notice. On the day of the protests, many of Iraq’s Sunni provinces had imposed curfews. Despite the curfew, people marched down the streets and expressed their anger with the current status of services and employment.

Freedom of the press, a constitutional right, was violated as well. Iraqi and foreign TV networks weren’t allowed to cover the protests live, therefore, people wouldn’t be encouraged to come join the protests after watching them on TV.

Journalists who were on the grounds of the protests were beaten, humiliated, and imprisoned by the Iraqi Army and police forces. Journalists, who were freed later, said they had seen leaders of civil society groups, actors, activists, and local civilians imprisoned and beaten by the Iraqi forces.

The protestors themselves were hosed with water cannons, beaten, and imprisoned.

The central government and Parliament found a way of diverting the blame onto local governments instead of taking responsibility for the shortcomings in their performance for the past years. Governors of two provinces had resigned and a few other governors are expected to do the same soon.

To appease the protestors, Maliki and the parliament, cut their salaries by 20%, though originally intended to cut 50%. They also promised to give more food aid for the poor, place a halt on a newly approved import tax, and to improve basic services within a 100 days. Critics are skeptical that such promises will be fulfilled.

If I could draw one main theme of the protests, it would be regret. Iraqis risked their lives on March 7^th2010 to vote for a new government. A year later, that government hasn’t been formed completely, with key ministries such as the Interior and Defense still vacant. The very little faith Iraqis had that the past election cycle was going to bring about change, has been lost. The picture shows an Iraqi biting his index finger, a gesture of regret in Iraqi culture. His finger is still painted purple with voting ink.

The Iranianization of Iraq

2010-11-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

By: Ali Rawaf

After the Islamic revolution in Iran, many actions were taken to make the country more conservative. The new government at the time cracked down on Cinemas, theatres, music halls. The Khomeini government also shut down liquor stores, bars, and social clubs, all of which used to run freely under the Shah. I see similar actions being taken today in Iraq. Previously, I have written about the Iranian influence in Iraq in politics. I have been reading news about several changes in the social aspects of the Iraqi community, ones that I link to a religious Iranian influence projected to change the structure of our society.

Today, a few Parliament Members who represent minorities showed their objection to a recent decision taken by local authorities to shut down social clubs, bars, and some restaurants that serve alcohol. Kenna, a Parliament Member who represent the Christians in Iraq said the decision punishes the Christian minority unjustly, “Just because a few people who are not supposed to drink go to those social clubs and drink alcohol, those social clubs shouldn’t be closed,” said Kenna criticizing the recent law. Another Member, Mehma Khalil who represents the Yezidi ethnicity in Iraq said the law will drive minorities out of Iraq, “Many minorities run such businesses […] these venues are sources of income to many of these people.”

The reality is Iraq used to be known in the Middle East for alcohol. Iraq’s secular society used to receive Saudis and Kuwaitis who cross the border to come drink in their venues. Shutting down these venues will not only have a negative impact on the society by driving communities out of the country, it will also be one more factor that is detrimental to the economy. Even when Saddam Hussein tightened social norms* to win tribal support in the early 90’s, liquor stores and bars were still open.

Babylon Festival Hall, Oct 2010. Picture by al-Arabyia

In 2004, Shiite militias such as the Mahdi Army cracked down on theatres, music halls, and video/CD stores in the south. The southern region is known for its prominence in the field of entertainment, especially music. In October, Iraqis celebrated the Babylon Festival, an annual festival where famous musicians and actors perform. This year music was banned in the Festival because it coincided with one Imam's birthday. The ban, as al-Arabyia puts it, “[left] most of the performers hailing all the way from Algeria, Azerbaijan, Denmark, Finland, Iran and Russia swaggering around the ruins of Babylon.”

This is frustrating because the toppling of Saddam’s statue was a symbol to many Iraqis that there will be more freedoms, not less. We also hoped that the government wouldn’t align itself with religious factions and religious ideologies. All of this begs the question, if the government will decide what you drink to what one should listen, where do we draw the line? And when will the people of Iraq speak out?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*The Washington Post article that is linked in the blog talk about Abu Nawas. Abu Nawas is one of Baghdad’s most famous streets. It is filled with sea food restaurants, night clubs, bars, and music halls. The street faced some difficulties during Saddam Hussein’s era but not to the extent that it is facing today. In February of 2009, the street was reopened after the US funded efforts to restore it. Soon after, the Iraqi local authorities cracked down on all of these venues, putting down hopes of restoring night life to Baghdad.

Iraq Government Formation Sets a Bad Precedence for a Democracy

2010-11-14T08:36:00.000-08:00

By: Ali Rawaf

It would have been great if I could start this blog by congratulating my people about the formation of the government. But unfortunately, what they portray to be the conclusion of a record_breaking and tumultuous eight months of negotiations is nothing but a magnified picture of the disarray of Iraqi politics that has been ongoing and will continue to take place in this government.

Confessionalism
Iraqi politicians pay little attention to the fact that what early governments do in new democracies, sets precedence for future governments. The power-sharing deal on which the parties agree will only institutionalize the sectarianism and the division of the current Iraqi society. The presidency to the Kurdish Talabani, PM post for Maliki, a Shiite, and the parliament Speaker position was given to Nujeifi, a prominent Sunni leader in al-Iraqyia. The perceived amount of power vested in each position is supposed to reflect the percentage of population each sect posses. Sounds silly but sadly, it's true. This kind of power-sharing pays little attention to anything about any candidate other than his sect. So forget having professionals in government as long as they meet the sect requirement. Progressively, politicians elevated the rhetoric about sectarianism in respect to the positions in the new government. Maliki was the first when he told reporters that despite the wishes of having an nonsectarian political race, sectarianism will continue to dominate the process. Kurdish MP's said that the Presidency is a Kurdish right despite the elections results. This is similar to what happened in 2005 and 2006 and exactly how Maliki won his first term. The Parliament also agreed to establish A National Strategic Council which is presumed to be given to Allawi, the head of the Iraqyiah List. The latter position is supposed to check on the PM's powers, it will also have executive powers over security, economy, and foreign policy. Allawi is a secular Shiite.

Inefficiency
While you might think that a power-sharing deal such as the one Iraqis figured out would bring about what Allawi calls "Devolution of power," it can tremendously stall the political process. Each of these positions don't have clearly defined powers but each of them is supposed to have some sort of a check on each other. If there are four, heads to a government, how long will it take them to make a consensus on a certain issue? I predict very long, knowing that it took them 8 months to come up with this fragile deal.

Allawi's new council, under which the PM will serve as a member, will be very inefficient. Any decision made by the council has to win a vote of an absolute plurality and 80% of the vote in Parliament. Allawi is frustrated. I would too, how can you get 80% of a sectarian parliament to agree on a piece of legislation when they couldn't agree on making a simple majority to form a government for 8 months?

Arguably, it is good to have a long period of deliberation when introducing a legislation. But in a country that is desperately in need of rapid government actions to bring about basic services such as water, electricity, this kind of government dynamics can be a little early.

Above the Law
Before the elections, key members of al-Iraqiyah List were prohibited from running in the election by a Parliamentary commission responsible for running de-Baathification, a program set to oust former members of Saddam Hussein's party and his regime. The program goes after all kinds of public servants and even college professors. Part of the pact the party leaders signed to reach the agreement was the exclusion of key politicians in al-Iraqyia from the de-Baathification program and awarding them with positions in the government, after the elections. To be fair, some of these members were de-Baathified with no evidence. This tells other public servants, who were unjustly ousted from office due to the de-Baathification program, that politicians are simply above the law. This is another example of a bad precedence for a new democracy.

The Will of the Voters
When I voted, I voted for change. Many Iraqis did the same. Iraqis were fed up with the sectarian orientation of the former government. The US President said "the government of Iraq will be inclusive and representative." I beg to differ. Having a Shiite, a Kurd, and a Sunni hold key positions in the government doesn't make it representative of the will of the people. What we have in Iraq today is similar to what we had in the past four years, a bad government and a dwindling hope in the future of democracy in Iraq.

Women's Role in Iraqi Politics Remains Inactive

2010-07-07T18:48:00.000-07:00

By: Ali Rawaf

Though they make about a quarter of the newly elected parliament, their voices are unheard and ambitions of leadership remain unseen.Their role doesn't go beyond the fulfillment of the electoral quota. Today, however, one female politician spoke out. Safiya al-Suhail sent a letter to President Talabani asking him if he was "only a president for men and not women" referring to the dinner Talabani organized to break the deadlock in which only men were invited.

al-Suhail, member of the State of Law bloc said that women in Parliament should be involved in the negotiations to for the net government but her comments showed no ambition. She followed saying, "We [women MPs] will be better at the negotiations because we are not looking to get any of the higher positions."

Iraq was one of the first Middle Eastern countries to grant women equal rights but the norms of the society do not reflect so. The Iraqi government is dominated my men despite the presence of women in politics but this phenomena cuts across many different aspects of society which is unfortunate because the essence of democracy lies in the fact that all elements of society are represented and empowered. In Iraq, inclusion means the inclusion of other sects while women get overlooked. If we truly care about consolidating out democracy, we need to reevaluate the role women should play in society. We need to be inclusive not only of other sects but also of the other sex. Women must be empowered in all field such as education, work force, and at home.

In the picture: Safia al-Suhail, Iraqi MP and member of the State of Law bloc.

Is Iraq Falling Back Into Authoritarianism?

2010-06-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

By: Ali Rawaf

   One sad fact about new democracies is that they might turn back into authoritarian regimes that ruled the country before those democracies emerged. Iraq's democracy might be one of those. Iraq is on the brink of falling back into an authoritarian regime, under Maliki's Dawa party.

We have witnessed Maliki's strong grip on his seat as Prime Minister. Though his term has constitutionally expired, Maliki and his cabinet still have full control of all three powers; executive, legislative, and judicial. The cabinet has signed contracts, appointed ambassadors, passed laws, all while the Parliament is not really in session. Maliki's powers are all unchecked. Maliki seems to have also manipulated Iraq's supreme court to rule in his favor several times. Furthermore, Maliki has been trying every way possible to somehow "legitimize" his bloc, which came in second in the elections, to form the next government. Maliki's bloc, State Of Law has formed an alliance with the National Alliance, the radical Shiite bloc. The alliance, was named the National Alliance hours before the first session of Parliament so al-Iraqyiah wouldn't enter the first session as the biggest bloc. Maliki's alliance with the radical Shiite bloc had a bumpy start and remains in gridlock over which candidate they want for the Prime Minister post. The National Alliance remains under no leadership.

Recently, Iraqis marched down the streets protesting the lack of basic services such as drinking water and electricity. The protests, after taking place in five provinces, resulted in the resignation of the Minister of Electricity. The protests were seen by Maliki's State of Law as a movement to reduce Malki's popularity. Iraqi news networks reported today that Maliki  ordered to tighten security measures in Basra, the province where the protests started. The security forces have more presence in the province and their purpose is to "discourage" anymore protests. Deterring the protests doesn't remind me of anything but of Iraq's old days under Saddam Hussein.

Today, al-Arabiya news channel was raided be security forces from the Ministry of Interior. The channel staff was ordered to evacuate their office because of "threats that their office will be attacked." The staff was instructed to leave behind all their equipment and belongings in the office before the Ministry of Interior shut down their office. al-Arabiya has been known for its support of Ayad Allawi, the head of the winning Iraqyiah bloc and Maliki's rival for the Prime Minister post. al-Arabyia had interviewed Allawi a few days ago.

With one sign after the other, Iraqis are beginning to lose hope in Iraq's democracy. Maliki and his cronies have managed to take over all aspects of governance in Iraq. Their insistence on remaining in power has brought chaos back to the country and put the political process at stalemate. Almost four months after the elections, Malki still shows no signs of stepping down from his expired post and to transfer power peacefully. The change for which Iraqis voted is farther than it seemed on the night of the elections.

The Contradictions of Maliki's Politics

2010-06-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

By: Ali Rawaf

Over the past three months, Maliki has proved that rules, norms, laws, and the constitution can be boldly violated without any regards to the public sentiments. It also proved the immaturity of Iraq's democracy and the politicians who are still new to the democratic game.

First, Maliki openly supported the rise of the De-baathification committee in the Parliament, a toll that was used to "legally" disqulaify candidates before the elections and after the results came out. The commission, under its new name, Commission for Justice and Accountability, made decisions to disqualify, sue, and publicly question the integrity of candidates, even though its Parliament was not in session. Recently, the commission said it would stop disqualifying newly-elected Parliamentarians, as if they have done us a favor.

Then, Maliki ran on a secular campaign, promising Iraqis that the past of ethnic tensions was to be left behind. He also promised that the politics of confessionalism in Iraq is now an old practice. Once he found out that the results weren't in his favor, he sought Iraqnian support and quickly tried to make a coalition with the radical Shiite bloc, which came third in the elections after Maliki's 89 nine seats and Allawi's 91 seats. The Shiite "coalition" hasn't agreed on a leader of the coalition neither have they settled on a candidate for the prime minister's post, the two important features of a political coalition seem missing. But parties left and right don't like any of the other blocs' candidates(Top vote-getters) for the Prime Minister post, which is not respecting the new election law that calls for and "Open List," a term that refers to placing each candidate's name on the ballot so the voter will choose directly on who wants for the PM post.

Malki also criticized Allawi's visits to regional countries, claiming that the visits represent an invitation to those countries to interfere in Iraqi politics. In the past couple of days, Maliki sent delegations to Arab countries to garner their support for his second term, openly.

The State of Law, Nouri al-Malki's bloc rhetorically attacked Allawi when he said that a non-inclusive government will drag Iraq back into sectarian tensions and violence. Maliki, when he felt that the PM post was slipping from his hand, he claimed that Iraq will once again go back to sectarian violence if he is not to get a second term.

The State of Law's coalition with the radical Iraqi National Alliance, named "National AlLiance," declared the alliance within 48 hours of the date Parliament was set to convene and after Ammar al _Hakim, the leader of the Iraqi National Alliance met with Sistani , the Shiite Grand Ayatolla. This shows that religious authority can override the democratic process and norms and can still manipulate politics or influence it one way or another.

Maliki's government also is acting as it is the official government, not an interim one. The PM is writing laws, signing deals and contracts, and hiring ambassadors, all of which are non-constitutional.

In short, Iraq's democracy s fragile and its rules can still be bent by politicians. Once our politicians leave behind the past and the spirit of revenge and politics of confessionalism, elements of liberal democracy might be more tangible but if we keep the gridlock and bold violation of electoral rules, laws,the constitution, and proportionally distribute government positions, we will stay unconsolidated democracy, a picture that much looks like Lebanon, if not worse.

Are Terrorists Getting Dumber?

2010-05-13T16:20:00.000-07:00

Are Terrorists Getting Dumber?

The next time you go to US embassy to obtain a visa to fly over there with explosives, don’t arrive at the embassy with explosive residue on your hand. A Pakistani Tourism student in Chile was arrested after authorities were alarmed by their metal detector. Later authorities discovered that he was associated with al-Qaeda. This takes place only a few days after another al-Qaeda member of Pakistani origin was arrested in New York City, after he failed to escape and detonate his bomb; he locked the key to his escape car in the car bomb (Speaking about ulattiral damage). He was arrested at the JFK airport the next day. And let’s not mention the underpants bomber who also failed to bomb himself.

It is beginning to look like a pattern of highly unorganized attempts to attack the United States and the West. The United States government and experts attribute the recent al-Qaeda failure to the success of the United States and the world’s efforts to interrupting communication between the terrorist organization on the international level. It has become harder for al-Qaeda to organize its attacks from it headquarters in Afghanistan as well as from the Middle East. This is the result of the American recent attacks against al-Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

On the other hand, hundreds of Iraqi civilians and security forces were targeted by al-Qaeda. The US embassy and the American military stated that those attacks – took place in several provinces around the same time – were all linked and reflect a high level of coordination. These attacked were aimed at reigniting the sectarian violence as they targeted mostly Shiite civilians. Such a move doesn’t reflect an image unorganized terrorist network, on the contrary, it shows how active al-Qaeda is in Iraq. I attribute the failure of the Iraqi security forces to the lack of having intelligence and their inability to cut-off the communication amongst al-Qaeda in Iraq.

The secret behind murder of the two senior al-Qaeda leaders in Iraq last month was because the security forces found how the two communicated. Both men had a middle man who traveled across the country from Mosul to Anbar to Tikrit to Baghdad. After the security forces arrested the middle who eventually lead them to al-Masri and al-Baghdadi. The Iraqi government, instead of putting more military men inside the cities, need to invest in border patrol, not only borders with neighboring countries but also patrol of internal province-to-province level borders, something that doesn’t seem to take place as needed.

In short, while the terrorist are getting weaker around the world due to lack of communication, they are able to carry out heavier and more sophisticated attacks in Iraq because they are still able to communicate within the country. The Iraqi government and military need to put more focus towards monitoring and controlling the borders on the provinces-level.

Ali Rawaf

Iraqi Elections: One Step Forward, Then Two Steps Back

2010-04-17T08:42:00.001-07:00

A day before announcing the results of the Iraqi parliamentary elections- after knowing that his party didn’t win a majority – Maliki asked the Supreme Court about the interpretation of Article 76 of the Iraqi Constitution.

The first clause of the Article reads:

“ The President of the Republic shall charge the nominee of the largest

Council of Representatives bloc with the formation of the Council of Ministers

within fifteen days from the date of the election of the President of the Republic.”

The question was specifically about the interpretation of phrase “the largest

Council of Representatives bloc.” The Supreme Court ruled that it meant the largest bloc after Parliament is in session. That means that the Shiites, though didn’t win a clear majority as one entity can form a coalition to forge the next Iraqi government.

That will marginalize the Sunnis and moderate Iraqis who voted for the secular list of Ayad Allawi, Al-Iraqiya. Al-Iraqiya won 91 seats while Maliki’s State of Law won 89.

Before the Supreme Court changed the interpretation of the first clause of Article 76, Shiite parties didn’t seem in accordance with Maliki’s State of Law, if otherwise, why didn’t they run as one entity? But now that the Shiites have the Prime Minister position, they are not willing to give it up at any expense.

The interpretation of the article is not fair. If the current interpretation of the Article prevails, that means that we have a problematic electoral system that doesn’t reward the winner of the elections with anything.

Another major obstacle for Allawi’s Al-Iraqyia is the Ayatolla Ali Al-Sistani. While Sistani received representatives from other parties, he refused to receive representatives from Al-Iraqiya and when asked about what he thought of Al-Iraqyia, Sistani’s Aide commented they consider them as the Sunni party, “The marjaiyah (religious Shiite leadership) sees Allawi as the representative of the secular trend. We don’t see him as a representative of the Shiites,” said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to share al-Sistani’s views with the media. –AP

This is dangerous because the Sunnis participated in the elections to be part of the government. Many of the Sunnis who used to fight gave up their arms for the sake of their votes and political participation. If the interpretation of Article 76 prevails, Sunni won’t have faith in Iraq’s democracy because the Shiites are always going to form a coalition to form the government whether they win the elections or not.

If my interpretation of this situation is correct, we will have a multi-ethnic Iraq with a Shiite-dominated government that reveres Iran, emphasizes its own ethnic solidarity (rather than national solidarity), politicizes the security forces, and gains “legitimacy” over and over through elections which they hold only for the sake of formality and nothing else.

How different is that from a Sunni-dominated government under Saddam Hussein?

I end my argument with the Iraqi proverb, “The horse remained the same, only the rider had been changed.”

I Voted With Pride

2010-03-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

By Ali Rawaf

For the first time in my life, I had the honor of participating in an event that has impacted the future of my country tremendously; I voted in the Iraqi election.

I was still young when the American Humvees drove through my neighborhood telling us through the speakers that mounted their vehicles that the war was over and we should resume to our normal life. I saw the old man on TV, beating Saddam’s picture with his shoe, the crowd that dragged the head of a statue of Saddam Hussein. I realized that our lives would never be the same again. Despite what the dark time we went through, as people, we emerged together in unity showing the world and our nasty enemy (terrorism) that we are strong and capable of voicing out our will.

Ever since Iraq had its first election, I longed for the day I get to dip my finger in that purple ink, it was a symbol of patriotism but I didn’t quite understand it and realized the enormity of its impact, on an individual level as well as the society. I told everyone I knew that I wanted to vote in the next elections, no matter where I will be, under whatever circumstance, I knew I would vote.

Fortunately, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission added one more voting station outside the country, one that was close to me. It was in Irving, Texas, three hours away from my residence in Austin. I was thrilled.

A group of friends and I rented a passenger van on the morning of March 7th, decorated the car with a couple of Iraqi flags, and left Austin to go to the voting station. The ride wasn’t boring, we had a heated discussion about the candidates and why each of us would vote for them. Despite our disagreements, we had one thing in common; the pride in our country to undergo such a change in political system while staying strong, and the courage of our fellow Iraqis to go cast their ballots into the voting boxes. What my fellow Iraqis inside the country did was incredible and one of a kind. They challenged the terrorists and disregarded their attacks and marched their way into the voting stations.

After being lost for a longer than half an hour and mistakenly driving towards the gates of the local FBI building (in a white van with Iraqi flags stuck on the windows), we found the in-the-middle-of-no-where Crossroads Hotel, the Iraqi voting station in Texas. We rushed our way into the building to be shocked with a line of people that reminded us of the lines people would form waiting in government offices back home, “Just like back there,” said my friend. I nodded in agreement. The line was a little chaotic and as a result, we lost our spot in it to a couple of families.

While standing in the line, Iraqi IIHEC personnel approached us and started talking to us. “How did you get the job?” I asked, “I work for the parties.” He retorted, with a mischievous smile on his face. He had a leather jacket that went all the way to his knees, just like one of the kinds they make back home, and had a goatee of which you would see on a typical Iraqi bureaucrat’s face. He was not surprised to learn that we drove for three hours, “Some people drove from Nashville, ten hours away” he told us. He also said that a few party members intruded and asked certain voters to vote a certain way, “but they weren’t successful, and it has been going smoothly since Friday,” he said.

For the first time in my life, I felt as if I was – even if little – in control of my own destiny. I had a say in the political process, though it was more symbolic. I chose to declare my support for a political party, ideology, and candidate and I did it in a peaceful and civil manner. Though we voted for different candidates, we were all happy we had the opportunity to participate.

After a bad meal at a chain Middle Eastern restaurant, we drove back to Austin. Of course, we spent a big portion of our time discussing the elections. We took pictures of the whole trip and especially of us in the voting station. When I got home around midnight, I couldn’t sleep for quite some time, I was thinking of how proud I am to be part of the process while staring at my purple-inked index finger.

Iraq's Democracy: Signs of Consolidation

2010-03-04T07:16:00.000-08:00

By: Ali Rawaf
As the elections approach, I am just more and more amazed at what has become of Iraq. Don't get me wrong, we don't have a complete democracy yet but it is consolidating.

If you have been following, parties are really competeing for people's votes. Though it is an old method of campaigning, Baghdad's streets are full of posters of candidates. The Iraqi TV and other Arab channels are playing campaign advertisements over and over. What is most interesting is how the society have really utilized technology in politics. Social media networks such as Facebook or Twitter are full of Iraqi politicians that keep reminding people to go and cast out their votes like this facebook status update from the Al-Iraqiya List Chairman, Ayad Allawi's Facebok page, "We urge all Iraqis to vote, every vote is a vital step on the road to real change and a brighter future for Iraq."

In retrospect, Iraqis, when asked about for which candidate they are going to vote, they used to have a ready answer that would pertain to basis of religiosity and sectariansim. When asked Al-Jazeera correspondednt, "For which candidate are you going to vote?" The Iraqi interviewee retorted, "I don't know yet, there are many of them." Watch the video here

Reprots state that the majority of Iraqis will vote this time as a apposed to last election round, where mostly Shiites and Kurds voted. This will of the Iraqi people to further and advance this democratic political process reveals how the country ha left behind ethnic division and sectarian violence in addition to their strong apposition to the terrorist groups in the country.

I hope that if there is one thing this election can show the world, it would be how determined and desperate people we are to have a states that respects rights, freedoms, and democracy.

Persecution ≠ Compensation (Response to a Kurd's lawsuit of Iraq)

2010-01-28T09:34:00.000-08:00

By: Ali Rawaf
If you have any previous blog post of mine about Kurdistan, you would've seen that I am a supporter of the Kurdish cause, you know, uniting their torn nation under one state unit. I also acknowledge that Arabs haven't been the friendliest to Kurds in the past few decades but I don't support anything that is irrational, illogical, or anything that would appear as boldly illegitimate.

Today, titled one of my article roundup that I read about Iraq, "Kurdish Genocide Survivor Sues Iraq." As I read through the article, it kept getting gradually offensive.

A Kurdish man, Taimour Ahmed claims that the State of Iraq (and the United States, since they supported Saddam Hussein with funds and some equipment) should compensate him for an organized mass murder of "Anfal." He is asking for 20 million dollars for every single one of the 10 family members he lost.

Don't get me wrong, I sympathize with Ahmed. I am sad that he had to experience extraordinary imprisonment situation but here is where I think the problem in this case lies: If Iraq was to compensate Mr. Ahmed, shouldn’t Iraq compensate the victims and their families of all of Saddam’s genocide, mass murders, and wars?

In addition, the person who was responsible for and lead these attack, was just executed a couple of days ago to after being convicted of several counts genocide.

If Iraq allows such claims to prevail, we will be hailed with hundreds of thousands of people who will want to do the same thing. Mr. Ahmed wasn’t the only person who was persecuted along with his family in Iraq, we all were and many of us continue to be persecuted under different conditions and situations as we see what happens in post-war-Iraq.

Mr. Ahmed wasn’t the only one who was persecuted, therefore he shouldn’t be the only one compensated. In fact, I don’t think anyone (except for those whose physical properties were damaged, demolished, or confiscated by the Iraqi government) should be compensated because they were executed in the State of Iraq under a different regime and era. Iraq cannot afford and will not afford to compensate the formerly persecuted one, including me.

Kurdish Ali and Chemical Ali

2010-01-25T08:26:00.000-08:00

By: Ali Rawaf

In 1988, the whole city of Halabja was bombed with chemicals by the Iraqi government. It is in that time that Ali Pour was an infant and was taken by a group of Iranian soldiers to a hospital in Iran and was treated. Later, he was adopted by a sister of one of the soldiers who took him. A little over a month ago, he was awaiting a DNA test to see if the person he was told is his mother is actually his. The DNA proved that the female who appears to the right side of the picture gave birth to Ali 21 years ago. For two decades, Ali was away from his real family. For two decades, his mother thought she had lost her child. For two decades, Ali’s mother wanted to see the person who gassed her town and killed her husband along with most of her children pay for what had been done to her family.

Today, the person responsible for the shameful act of gassing the city received his sentence. After several trials, Chemical Ali was executed today for being convicted of 13 counts of genocide. Before 2003, neither of Ali and his mother thought they would see this day. Many Iraqis never thought they would. But it happened. I hope, if this can prove to us anything, it will show us that there is an end to anything and anyone, even tyrants and mass murderers. But I also hope that this will mark a day that we also forget the past and its misery and look forward to building and serving a country that has suffered from criminals like “Chemical Ali” and worse.

Iraqi Elections Bans: A Flashback from The Past

2010-01-22T07:54:00.001-08:00

By: Ali Rawaf

It is no wonder that the recent election bans on a number of Iraqi politicians and parliamentarian are prejudice and illegitimate.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a big fan of Salih Al Mutlaq or many of the banned politicians but I do sense the tension that has risen from the ban.

If the Iraqi election commission truly believed that those politicians should be disqualified, why haven’t been any mentioning in November or December, a month or two before the Iraqi elections were originally set to be held.

Salih Al-Mutlaq, though has truly said many things that can be labeled as Baathist, has been a member of the Iraqi parliament for the past four years with being questioned about any of his Baath promotion. Shouldn’t we hold accountable of the elected officials just as much as we do the ones running to be elected.

The majority of the candidates in the banned list are Sunni. This can be very detrimental as we shape our government for the next four years. Though there is no real census, no one wants to be underrepresented.

We cannot afford to have a big sector of the Iraqi population as part of the voting population. This banning of candidates has truly reminded Iraqis like me that government officials are still holding on to the same issues with which we struggled in the past elections: sectarianism, animosity, and insecurity.

If the commission doesn’t truly take into consideration the appeals of the banned candidates and transparently reviews them, the elections in Iraq will be nothing but a recap of the former elections round.

*Picture is used from the Time Magazine website.

The Iraqi Government: Campaiging at the Expense of Key Element of Democracy, Elections.

2009-12-02T22:11:00.000-08:00

I have been closely watching the developments in the Iraqi government in the past couple of months and I must say they have made some drastic moves recently.

As you may observed, Al-Maliki is not the Shiite coaliton's puppy anymore. He is hitting the nationalistic note now. However, he hasn't wondered that the "coalition" might be responsible for the disasterous "Bloody" days in August and October rather than the Baathis he is blaming.

Even though many of us thought the secterian hype wouldn't shape the upcoming election, the reality speaks a different story. The Shiites are trying to pass an Election Bill that marginalizes the votes of the Iraqis abroad. The Sunnis are objecting it because they believe believe they can gain more parliamentary seats through the votes abraod. The Kurds want more seats because of recent "census" and they are threating to boycott.

There are also disagreements over the recent contracts with the foreign oil companies the belittles the forthcoming government's ability of termintating any of the contracts. Though it sounds supportive of foreign investment and provide foreign investors security, it is a bit scary to.

The Iraqi government has also launched a Youtube channel. Apperantly it was a "priority" on the Prime Minister's Cabinet. The channel will provide edited videos of meetings, conference and such functions on Youtube. This is not different from the Iraqi Media Net, the State-owned TV channel, and Radio station.

On the same channel, an interrogation was broadcasted of the persons charged with carrying the major attacks in August and Ocotber. "They have caught them," some claim.

I see all of these changes are nothing but attempts of possibe candiates of campaigning throughout the making of essential public policy as elections regulation. It saddens me that Iraq's future, its consititution, and the key elements of its democracy are being shaped by greedy secterian men hiding in the Green Zone.

I Believe In the Kurdish Dream, Too

2009-11-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

By: Ali Rawaf

When I was in elementary school, I had a friend called “Tawan.” Even thought Towan lived in Baghdad, he was Kurdish. He looked like a Kurd and spoke like one. I don’t remember anything about my friendship with Tawan other than playing soccer, walking down the streets of my neighborhood, and exchanging/ playing video games. Our parents became friends through us and they paid each other visits on regular basis. I had never heard them argue or fight about, Kurdish and Arab affairs. They drank tea, smoked cigarettes, and laughed loudly. I am not painting you a picture of a happy community, Tawan was actually my friend and years after, I still remember him while I have forgotten most of my friends from Baghdad.

A few days ago, I had an online interaction with a fellow Iraqi from Kurdistan. It was a series of heated responses to one another. I was frustrated through out the “conversation” because the Kurdish person (Who shall remain unknown) was constantly telling me that I appear to be supporting Kurdistan while deep inside that’s not the case. I have found that very hurtful from my Kurdish friends sometimes. No matter how friendly and how good my intentions are for the Kurds, I receive a negative treatment full of presumptions.

I understand what the Kurds have gone through. They have had their nation divided to be with countries that have not welcomed them and fought them. I know that Arabs have not been the most faithful and peaceful with the Kurds but I do know that when people like me recognize that, that itself is an improvement.

I often tell my Kurdish friends that I hope they get their own country one day and live in harmony, peace, and prosperity. I don’t think they believe me or think that my comments are sincere. It is saddening.

The problem is that people from my generation in Kurdistan have grown up to dislike non-Kurds in the rest of the country and to never trust them, the same as how Shiites raised their children telling them that Saddam is bad and associated that with being Sunni.

I am in favor of the establishment of a Kurdish country so long that it is what the people of the region want. I hope all my Kurdish friends and others believe that. Saddam Hussein is the one that gassed the Kurds and he is the one that persecuted them.

I would like to request from all Kurds to not generalize us, the people of the rest of Iraq. We were all persecuted under Saddam Hussein and he has been gone for a couple of years now. Why do I take the blame for what he had done?

Here is the exchange of words that I had with a Kurdish person a few days ago, it started after one of my friend’s fb status was making fun of an American who couldn’t recognize which flag it was when they showed him the Kurdish flag. (Sorry, it is a bit long)

Ali Rawaf: So you guys are all geniuses, now? It sounds as if you can tell every country's flag.

With all honesty, I respect and love people from Kurdistan and I wish them the best in their pursuit of their homeland, but you can't expect people to know the flag of a federal district such as Kurdistan. That would be exactly the same if an American asks you about his or her state's flag.

But I guess you guys are super smart and can name all the flags of all 50 states.

Sherwan (fake name): ali rawaf,

you are wrong if you compare kurdistan to a state in the usa.
the american states unified (came together) because they wanted to. the case of iraq is different, iraq is artificial. the establishment of iraq was the idea of british colonialism.
... Read More
hiroshima is more known than most american states. soon, halabja, kurdistan and the kurdish cause will become as known as hiroshima ;)

don't assess the kurdish cause by the knowledge of some young americans. the center of attention of the world is middle east and kurdistan is the heart of it, so those who are seeking knowledge out there they all know about kurdistan, whether it's in the states, france, brazil, australia, korea or egypt.

Ali Rawaf: Why do I always get attacked by Kurds even if I am NOT against them having their own country. I would be thrilled fo you guys but I feel like you are loosing it nowadays. You are too extremists with your cause. I truly truly hope that it work out for Kurdistan. But you can't treat everyone with negative presumptions like the way you have responded to me.
... Read More
I know that the Kurds didn't become a part of Iraq voluntarily. I don't need a history lesson. But you know that if Kurdistan's best interest, as Talabani says, is by staying with Iraq. So, don't blame it on me or other people who had nothing to do with what happened a hundred years ago. I didn't vote for Kurdistan to become a part of Iraq and I didn't participate in the massacre of Halabja.

I would like to invite you to walk down the streets of the United States, and ask them if they know Kurdistan and when they do, ask them if they know Halabja. I can almost guarantee you that they wouldn't know as much as you might hope.

Also, it would be nice if we can make famous of our cities by having something unique about them, things such as inventing something, a historical site, or recognizing arts and creativity. No one would like to boast about being persecuted except the week, and don't get me wrong all people in Iraq brag about being persecuted.

There were many Eropian cities that were bombed and their people were massacred and persecuted during World War II. I don't think they go everywhere in the world to blame things on Hitler, the dead person responsible for their persecution. Saddam Hussein is dead and with him died the hatred and the animosity of Kurdistan.

--

Ali Rawaf: "don't assess the kurdish cause by the knowledge of some young americans"

That has got to be the biggest nonsense I have listened to in a long time. I am glad you think that way, it must make you prideful and happy. Have fun living in your own bubble.

The middle east isn't the center of it. And Kurdistan have yet to be the heart of it. It will ... Read Morebe okay to say that when you want to separate and have your own country. Right now, you want to stay attached, so speak like you are attached and don't let the world make your cause a joking matter.

Sherwan: i'm not negative. since you're from iraq, i knew that you know more about kurdistan, more than you showed in your first comment. that's what plays with ones temper.

personally, i'm not an extremist, but to every action there's a reaction. don't come and speak of extremism, the way you express yourself is way more harsh though you showed yourself to be more understanding

what jalal talabani said does not represent the needs and wants of all kurds. in addition, talabani said that as the president of iraq. there are also others who make such statements in kurdistan region but that's to respect being a part of iraq.... Read More

first of all, you seem to act hood. second, i respect the streets. but as much as i know knowledge is to be rather found in schools. the same goes for kurdistan, ghetto people can't point out the states on the map. by having this said, i'm not expecting thugz to know about some place far from home, i'm rather expecting scholars to do so.

trust me on this, my bubble is way bigger than yours. for exmaple, i respect the right of every nation to self-determination (regardless the way they express themselves).

Ali Rawaf: By the way, saying, "my bubble is way bigger than yours" is not a positive thing to say about yourself. Also, calling people "hood" isn't either. Ask most English speakers, and they would tell you who says such words.

It is also sad that after a number of paragraphs that I wrote to explain how much I am for Kurdistan's independence, you still give me a comment like this, "trust me on this, my bubble is way bigger than yours. for exmaple, i respect the right of every nation to self-determination (regardless the way they express themselves)." To add to that, I also know that generalizing and stereotyping people based on their origin isn't the indicative of an educated person

I didn't comment to fight with you. I don't know you and I didn't know you. I simply wrote an objective opinion and you started rambling about Kurdistan and its independence.... Read More

Again, it is worthless to fight with you on facebook or to defend my stands o0n Kurdistan, I was simply expressing my opinion in a respectful manner without calling names or referring to stereotypes.

And believe me, just because I have an Arabic name, that doesn't mean that I am against the Kurdish cause. I believe that Kurdistan should be able to have their own country if they want to and I sure hope it will be a prosperous one.

Sherwan: we better skip who's right or wrong, let's leave it for others. i can tell you one thing, the way you speak now is pretty different than you did in your first comment. you say that you support kurdistan but what i read between the lines is whole another story. after all, i'm not asking you to support kurdistan, that's what you say, but i can tell ... Read Moreyou it's confusing.

Ali Rawaf: Who do you think you are that you believe I am not writing you my sincere opinion. I don't care if you admire my opinion.

Freud once said, "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar," so have fun speculating and reading between the lines of what I wrote but believe me you will find nothing other that what I obviously said. I am not afraid of expressing my real opinion, one that I have made up for my self and not listened to others and learned it from them..

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It saddens me that the conversation was so negative and heated but I hope that one day, this person and I will be able to have a friendly conversation and laugh about this one. I hope that as much as I would like to see my friend Tawan again.

Iraqi Election: Will Secularism Succeed?

2009-10-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

As you might have heard it before, many claim that Ayad Allawi, former Iraqi interim prime minister is a Baathist and is a resemblance of Saddma Hussein. To those people, I say you are flat out wrong.

What Ayad Allawi has been calling for over the past couple of years is reconciliation. That is the key to solving a lot of our problems. If you look at Iraq’s history, you will find that we have a pattern of revenge in our society and government and that pertains to the bedawin background many Iraqis have. This is an issue that Ali Al-Wardi, our renowned historian and sociologist has emphasized over and over throughout his publications.

We must reconcile with Baathists, especially those that have done no harm to Iraqis. Like I have said before on my former page on the blog Twenty Four Steps to Liberty, the current Iraqi government has made targets of all former Baathists. Baathists were involved in every aspect of our older lives in Iraq. They were teachers, college professors, engineers, policemen and in many many other fields. In order for many Iraqi to continue on with safer lives during Saddam’s era, they had to be part of the party.

We can’t lose our experts, we can’t lose our teachers, we can’t lose our doctors.

Even my father might disagree with me on this, but as Iraqis, we really have to this into consideration because we are dealing with the lives of three million (3,000,000) people.
It will affect the progress and development of our country.

We have all done out homeland some form of disservice but we don’t punish our selves. A population becomes oppressed because they are not willing to be outspoken against persecution and injustice.

We must leave the past behind and focus on our present and future. We must take advantage of this election. It is another chance given to us to improve our lives.

When we looked at the ballot four years ago, we could only see Sunnis, Shiites, Christians, and Kurds. We supported persecution of Baathist and former Iraqi army personnel. We have another chance to make a better choice, to vote for life against death, to vote for prosperity against persecution, to vote for a representative government against authoritarianism, to vote for peace against instability, for moderation against bigotry and extremism.

These are aspects that we look at the West and envy them for having incorporated them into their lives. We can do it.

We should all advocate for parties like Ayad Allawi’s and Mithal Al-Alusi, we need irreligious government officials who don’t include religion and sect as part of their political program and political campaign.

We need to support such parties and such candiates. The Iraqi Future encourages its reader to explore more about each candidate and learn about their future plans for Iraq.

Iraq's Education System: Helpful Tool For Terrorism and Religious Extremism

2009-10-17T08:49:00.001-07:00

By: Ali Rawaf

A few days ago, I was listening to an NPR story on China’s education system. The report said that the system is based on memorization and doesn’t encourage critical thinking. Students who were interviewed in the report said that they were not encouraged to think about the subjects but rather, “to know the right answer.” In their opinion, that is the reason the West has become more advanced than them and that this system creates an oppressed society in china.

Iraq’s Education System

That is exactly how I feel about Iraq’s education system. It is old and on the verge of collapsing. As I remember, in most institution, you are encouraged to memorize the books and that way, you will get a perfect grade. In 6^th grade, I scored a 100 percent on the national standardized test. Don’t call me a nerd, but in order to get that, I had to memorize almost all the books we have studies that year.

Saddam Hussein established the “Faith Campaign,” the project that made all school obligated to teach religion classes. In those religion classes, students are to memorize passages from the Quran along with attached “explanation” of every verse. No one discussed those verses, but everyone memorized them and memorized their “explanation.” This is very dangerous because it limits students from questioning and if we don’t question, we are not more than machines that operate on food.

In class, there wasn’t much of a discussion about the material. We were encouraged to know the “one possible answer” while there could have been many others. We were more trained than taught.

Getting Into College

Our future depends on how we score in the national standardized tests. We have one in each 6^th, 9^th, and 12^th grade. The one taken in the 12^th grade determines which field you can pursue in your studies.

If you have scored within high 90’s, you might be able to study engineering or medicine, the Middle East’s most popular fields to study. So, the number of applications for med school and engineering are way higher than any other field.

It is sad to see that our society glorifies those two fields while it discourages studies in the fields of social studies, arts, and humanities. This point needs to be more emphasized, our education system –with the way it discourages the pursuit of such fields – is the reason why we have religious extremism and terrorism.

Many of those who have higher scores in the national exam and who have well spoken and written English, can be qualified to study abroad so they can bring something else to the table but it is rare to find the students who go back actually want to bring back what they learned abroad and make the changes on our education system.

Results of Having Such Education System

Just like it is in China, we have an oppressed society, one that doesn’t bother to think about how and what to believe but rather seek being told what to believe by an Imam or an Ayatollah.

That is why our youth can be easily persuaded by someone who clams to know the ‘right’ answer or path. That is why we now we have more extremism in our country than ever before. That is why when someone speaks of anything that doesn’t conform to the society’s general belief system, they get assassinated and tortured.

It is the reason why we clap for every one who is in power and boo every one whom the people who are in power tell us to boo. That is why we don’t stand up for our selves when we face government uprooting of our society, when we see terrorist beheading our people. We are afraid of questioning because we weren’t allowed to.

What Can Be Done?

There needs to be some fundamental changes in our schools, starting with elementary schools.

Programs such as the “Faith Campaign” should be abolished* so students can have the opportunity to think about their beliefs and religion and told what to believe
We need to have more proactive interactions between students and teachers, more than just I-tell-you-what-to-think-and-you-write-that-on-the-test-and-I-give-you-good-grade style.
Our teachers and professors need to be trained to teach students to think not how and what to think.
Our curriculum needs to be changed from boring, dry text books to become more interactive and accompanied computer programs and other activities.
We need to take the turbans out of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education
We need to employ the skills and the images of those who studies abroad and try to imply some of the ideas they learned at home.
Also, we need to start questioning. We need to use the word “why” more often in our schools. We shouldn’t only address the “right” answer in class, we should discuss all possible answers.
We need to change TV. We can’t let every turbaned head with a dirty broom hanging from his face teach our children how to live life properly every weekend mornings.

Is It Possible?

Iraq once had one of the most secular and educated societies in the Middle East. We still have those people, they are just afraid of voicing out their opinions. We had one very decent middle class that was capable of producing a hard working and well educated population, we can learn from our predecessors.

Yes, it is possible. It just needs a bit of time and assertiveness in our attitudes with our officials. If the Iraqi student body was to unite and ask for better schooling with higher quality and better style, we can.

If you are a student, talk to your friends about the issue. Ask for their opinion about it and discuss it with them. You will not believe how many you will find who believe in the freedom of education and in its advancement.

Changing our education and the way we think about life and society will help us in many ways to advance as a

people and a country. Yes, it might need some protests and demonstrations and writing to government officials but we can do it. Don't think that I am saying this because I live in the U.S and learned to talk their talk but if Saddam Hussein could make protest for useless issues such as Palestine and the Arab unity, we can protest for our own good and for the healthiness of our society.