You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Iraq
Iraqi PM Won't Run in Upcoming Elections
2021-05-16
[ENGLISH.AAWSAT] Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Thursday said he has fulfilled his promise to the people not to run in the upcoming elections scheduled for October 10.

His remarks came during a televised speech marking the 1st anniversary of the Iraqi government.

"The government that I had the honor to be its president was born in an exceptional and dangerous circumstance," he stressed.

Kadhimi said that Iraq was standing at a crossroads due to the severe social crisis, saying the primary mission is to lead fair and just elections.

"We have set October 10 as a deadline for holding the elections, and we will make our best efforts for that," the PM noted, calling on the political forces and parties to support the government to succeed in the elections.

"For our part, we fulfilled our pledge to our people by declaring not to participate in the elections or to support any party at the expense of others, and we will do our work in protecting the upcoming electoral process."

He further hailed the Iraqi forces for the remarkable efforts exerted in fighting ISIS.

"Our forces have achieved remarkable development in confronting ISIS. We have succeeded in killing the terrorist who calls himself the Wali of Iraq and the Deputy Caliph, known as Abu Yasser al-Issawi, and the deputy governor of ISIS in Iraq, and ISIS's coordinator of operations in Syria and Iraq."

He also said his government has helped the displaced to return home and made major efforts to end the problem of internal displacement.

"We have closed within one year more than 90% of the IDP camps across Iraq, and we supported the voluntary return of the displaced into their areas."

On regional relations, Kadhimi said: "I am proud of the great development of our relationship with Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Fifteen of the nineteen WTC hijackers were Saudis, and most major jihadi commanders were, to inclid Osama bin Laden. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman quietly folded that tent in 2016, doing terrible things to the guys running it, and has since been dragging the kingdom into the current century...
, the Emirates, Iran, The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
, Leb
...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers...
, Syria, and all the countries in the region that love peace."

He explained that the government’s policy of openness was reflected in the reopening of the Arar border crossing with Saudi Arabia, which has been closed for decades.

At the level of strategic dialogue with the United States, Kadhimi said that during three sessions of the dialogue, the two sides achieved advanced steps for the exit of the remaining combat forces of the International Coalition.

"We are preparing for upcoming rounds between the military committees to set the time and technical frameworks to achieve this."

Kadhimi concluded that what his government has done in one year to fight corruption is equal to the outcomes of the past 17 years in this regard.
Posted by:Fred

00:00