[Centraal] Irak en ISIS #93

quote:

Feeling heat, Maliki warns Sistani against opposing third term

On July 25, the official website of Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani posted an article reporting that Sistani has called on Iraqi officials not to cling to their positions, alluding to the insistence of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on seeking a third term. Official spokespeople for Sistani have previously criticized the performance of the Iraqi government, as well as the stances of Maliki himself; this, however, is the first time that Sistani has directly demanded Maliki withdraw his candidacy.

The article came in response to the stance of Sayyid Mahmoud Shahroudi — a prominent religious figure known for his close ties with Iran’s leadership and the Maliki-led Dawa Party — in support of Maliki. The website also noted the support of other Shiite religious authorities in Qom and Najaf for Sistani's position.​

In another development, Sayyid Jafaar al-Sadr, the son of the the Dawa Party founder, called on all of Dawa's leading members to end their support for Maliki, since the latter is the main obstacle to settling disputes and forming a new government.

In the same context, the Badr and independent blocs belonging to Maliki’s State of Law Coalition announced they would split from the coalition if Maliki insisted on a third term. This means the coalition would lose the majority of votes within the National Iraqi Alliance, from which the prime minister should be chosen.

Maliki sent a warning text message to the office of Sistani. Al-Monitor learned the content of the message, which reads: “It is with great dissatisfaction that I received the hint that your official delivered during the Friday sermon in Karbala about officials not clinging to their posts. The majority of Shiites and the enemies of the political process figured that I was the one concerned. This is why I ask you, as prime minister who was elected for two terms, as the leader of the largest coalition, and as the [politician] who won the highest number of votes in the third session, to clarify your stance and end your involvement in the political process and the choosing of the prime minister. [I ask you] to limit your role to the provision of religious and moral guidance to your followers and leave politics to politicians. Iraq is going through a delicate phase in its political and security history and I cannot, amid these circumstances, give up on my national duty to protect the unity of Iraq and its people and defend the rights of those who voted for me.”

The Iraqi political system is parliamentary, not presidential, and candidates' number of votes do not influence their nomination for governmental positions. They are strictly chosen through the votes of the members of parliament. The State of Law Coalition joined the National Alliance during the first parliamentary session, which makes the alliance the largest coalition and the one to name the prime minister. This alliance will be threatened with division if Maliki insists on running for a third term.

This came in tandem with news that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called on Maliki to step down, in clear support for Sistani’s position. These rapid developments angered Maliki, who felt the developments were quickly mounting against his wish for a third term.

Maliki expressed his anger on Aug. 6 during his weekly speech, when he warned against outside attempts to intervene in the naming of the next prime minister. He said these attempts violate the political and constitutional process, threatening that all hell would break loose if an attempt was made to unconstitutionally name a prime minister.

Clearly, this speech is Maliki’s last attempt to instill fear among his rivals related to his stepping down. This speech is, however, a far cry from being a real threat. Maliki has no political or security power to allow him to hold on to his post if Sistani and Iran explicitly oppose his candidacy.

Al-Monitor.com

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:26 schreef J0kkebr0k het volgende:

[..]

Ik ben niet tegen. Dat maak jij er van.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:31 schreef J0kkebr0k het volgende:

[..]

Ga er maar een nachtje over slapen en er over nadenken wat ik misschien wel zou kunnen bedoelen.

Welterusten!

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:32 schreef Che_ het volgende:

[..]

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:35 schreef theunderdog het volgende:

[..]

Kun jij je voorstellen dat wapens geven lang niet altijd de beste optie is?

Zo heeft de VS ook wapens gegeven aan het Iraakse leger, met als resultaat: meer burgerslachtoffers dan doden aan de kant van ISIS...

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 00:30 schreef Nintex het volgende:

[..]

De Koerden krijgen een eigen staat na het ISIS hoofdstuk, met steun van de VS daar ben ik van overtuigd. Dan is het Koerden 'probleem' in Turkije ook gelijk opgelost, want alle Koerden kunnen naar de Koerdische staat.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:37 schreef Che_ het volgende:

[..]

Jouw oplossing is niets doen en geen steun aan de Koerden die vechten tegen IS.

Hoe zal dat helpen? Wat is in jouw ogen een betere oplossing?

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:38 schreef theunderdog het volgende:

[..]

De oplossing moet van Irak zelf komen.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:38 schreef theunderdog het volgende:

[..]

De oplossing moet van Irak zelf komen.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:40 schreef Nintex het volgende:

[..]

Irak zelf is niet in staat om de problemen op te lossen, want er is niet zoiets als een Iraakse staat of eenheid daar ben ik na 2 grote burgeroorlogen nu wel van overtuigd.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:41 schreef theunderdog het volgende:

[..]

Dat is het punt nu net he: het is niet meer te redden.

Europa is een soort morele meester van het Midden-Oosten ofzo. Laat die mensen het lekker zelf uitzoeken.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:43 schreef Che_ het volgende:

[..]

Je spreekt jezelf wel vaak tegen

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:40 schreef Che_ het volgende:

[..]

Hoe? Wees specifieker.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:44 schreef Che_ het volgende:

[..]

Ga hier even op in.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:46 schreef theunderdog het volgende:

[..]

Nu niet, ik ga pitten..



Truste.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:36 schreef Nintex het volgende:
Lijkt mij ook geen goed plan de Koerden bewapenen, maar ik zie weinig alternatieven. Vandaar dat het daarna direct een soort van onafhankelijke staat moet worden waarbij de VS een klein oogje in het zeil blijft houden. Een tweede oorlog tussen Irak en de Koerden kun je alleen maar voorkomen door de Koerden dusdanig 'sterk' te maken dat het Iraakse leger niet kan en wil aanvallen zonder dat het consequenties heeft. En de enige manier om dat te doen is bescherming van de VS, want je wilt ook weer niet dat de Koerden gaan proberen de rest van Irak te veroveren.

quote:

Al-Azhar condemns ISIS as corrupt and a danger to Islam

CAIRO: Egypt’s top religious authority condemned Al-Qaeda splinter group ISIS which has taken over parts of Iraq and Syria, describing it as a corrupt, extremist organization that is damaging Islam.

“An extremist and bloody group such as this poses a danger to Islam and Muslims, tarnishing its image as well as shedding blood and spreading corruption,” said Al-Azhar’s Grand Mufti Shawqi Allam, the state news agency MENA reported Tuesday.

Egyptian media reports said Allam also expressed his objection to “widespread error” in referring to the group as “the Islamic State,” its new name, because it violates both long-established principles of Shariah and the contemporary foundations of humanitarian law.

ISIS has declared a caliphate in the territory it has captured in Iraq and Syria. It sees all Shiites as heretics and boasted of killing hundreds of captive Shiite soldiers in June.

Allam said ISIS’ actions strengthened the hand of those who wanted to harm Islam.

“[They] give an opportunity for those who seek to harm us, to destroy us and interfere in our affairs with the [pretext of a] call to fight terrorism,” Allam said.

The comments came as the Vatican called on Muslim religious leaders to take a “clear and courageous stance” and condemn “unspeakable criminal acts” by ISIS.

“The terrible position of Christians, Yezidis and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq demands a clear and courageous stance from religious leaders, especially Muslims,” the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue said.

Last week, the United States bombed ISIS targets in northern Iraq, saying it was protecting the Kurdish autonomous region and trying to prevent what U.S. President Barack Obama called a potential genocide of religious minorities.

quote:

Op woensdag 13 augustus 2014 01:55 schreef Che_ het volgende:
https://news.vice.com/art(...)ng-the-islamic-state

Why the Kurdish Peshmerga Have Many Troubles in Stopping the Islamic State

Iraq: Peshmerga fighters continue assault on ISIS