Why is the Iraqi government oppossed the Saudi-led 35 state coalition?

January 2016

A difference of opinion between political circles in the Iraqi government led by Haider al-Abadi continues has expanded. These viewpoints are increasingly polarizing regarding perspectives of the main parliamentary faction members on Baghdad’s official position on the Saudi-led anti-terrorism Islamic coalition.

Negative positions adopted by the Shiite political block that is directing the al-Abadi government surprisingly led to the absence of Iraq in the Islamic coalition despite the fact that for the past year they have been spearhead in the war against ISIS.

In this regard a major leader of the “Muttahedoon” coalition, representing the largest Sunni political faction in the Iraqi Parliament, said, “The problem of the Iraqi government guided by al-Abadi is that it has adopted the opinions of the regimes of Iran and Syria, adding that these are two countries that blasted the Islamic coalition against terrorism. Therefore, the Iraqi position against this coalition does not resemble national unity between the Iraqi people.”

“Al-Abadi, leading a national conciliation government, must coordinate its measures with other Iraqi entities in order to have its positions be more balanced and more realistic,” he added.

Saudi Arabia was certain that inviting Iraq to join this coalition would be turned down for two reasons. First, the fact that the al-Abadi government will not accept to enter this coalition, to then prevent any pressure to also accept the presence of intervention of Islamic ground forces in the war against ISIS in Iraqi cities. The second reason is that Baghdad would probably place a condition of first allowing Iran enter this Islamic coalition, to then join the alliance itself.

The Iraqi government has proven during the past years it is not interested in coordinating with Arabic and Islamic countries, since its only security allies in the region are Iran, Syria and Russia. The al-Abadi government, considering the pressures imposed by the Iranian regime and its proxy Shiite militias in Iraq, will not allow even one Arab soldier enter Iraq for the fight against ISIS. However, they have accepted the presence of thousands of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards forces in the cities of Samara and Tikrit in the north, and Diyala Province located northeast of Baghdad.

Jordan has time and again proposed to the Iraqi government to provide training or arms support to the Sunni tribes in Anbar Province located east of its own borders and west of Baghdad. Jordan considers security in Anbar as part of its own national security. However, Baghdad turned down this proposal from Jordan as it viewed such intentions with suspicion. However, Baghdad considers a proposal from Iran to support the Shiite “Popular Mobilization Forces” as a very positive measure in the fight against terrorism.

Most of the Shiite political parties leading the al-Abadi government believe Arab countries are actually supporting terrorism in Iraq and Syria, or at least are sympathetic to these groups. This is the result of continuous provocations by the regimes of Iran and Syria.

Various positions adopted by Iraq, such as those of religious leaders in the city of Najaf in the south, containing messages of the necessity of positive engagement with all efforts of the region for the fight against ISIS, and the importance of involving all countries and encouraging them to destroy terrorism, are considered positive moves. However, the current trends are not carried out based on the suggestion of the religious leaders in Najaf. In fact, the meddling of known Iranian organs who enjoy influence in Iraq, including (Quds Force commander linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards) Qassem Suleimani who actually engineered Iraq’s domestic and foreign policies, along with its failed military plans.

The Islamic coalition against terrorist is a quality alliance because the entire region, from Iraq to Libya, is witnessing a spread of terrorism. This coalition will strengthen the countries that lack assets to fight against terrorists. It will also enable them to “fight against terrorism on the ground with an enormous Islamic force. This is a very real and important development in the fight against ISIS and other such groups.”

The formation of the Islamic coalition was amongst one of the wisest political moves since this coalition defines the fact that the Sunni Islamic World is the first party in charge of defeating terrorism, despite the fact that there are those in Iraq who will not be happy of the fact that Sunnis will be fighting terrorism and overcome them.