• Sayyid Ammar Al Hakim Stresses Iraq’s Need for Serious International Cooperation to Fight Terrorism and Warns Against Political Defamation

    2014/ 03 /13 

    Sayyid Ammar Al Hakim Stresses Iraq’s Need for Serious International Cooperation to Fight Terrorism and Warns Against Political Defamation

     
    The head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Sayyid Ammar Al Hakimm, stressed Iraq’s need for a serious international cooperation and support in all areas to achieve victory in its fight against terrorism, indicating that Iraq possesses great expertise in combating terrorism and has had a direct war against it, which has given it experience, information and experience-based plans. His Eminence highlighted the importance of the exchange of experiences between Iraq and other countries that are fighting terrorism, stressing that relations with States are not built on wishes and beliefs, but on common areas and reciprocal interests. He called to give attention to any country willing to join the fight against terrorism and incriminate its symbols, ideas and supporters, underlining that Iraqis are, for years now, in the front line at the global level in combating terrorism, and they will continue this war despite their political differences. His Eminence assured that political difference is not a criterion to the Iraqis’ position from the war on terrorism, adding that political and social differences, however, create weaknesses through which terrorism infiltrates. He indicated that this does not mean that political partners should accuse one another of supporting terrorism, considering that the organization of the international conference to fight terrorism in Baghdad is a significant step towards the right way. Sayyid Al Hakim described terrorism as the attribute of the era that is expanding, spreading and evolving with the security environment of each country, warning against the use of any weakness or security gap by terrorism. He then clarified that terrorism grows when the political environment is tense for it helps its supporters hide behind facades and signs that hold certain political or ideological meanings, calling everyone to be bigger than the moment they live in and to try to refine their electoral methods and stay away from political defamation.
    This came during the weekly cultural forum held at this eminence’s office in Baghdad on Wednesday, March 12, 2014.
     
    Iraq Needs a Comprehensive Strategy to Fight Terrorism
    His Eminence indicated that terrorism is influenced by the security strategy, whereas the more comprehensive and global the strategy is, the more limited terrorism is, and the more fragmented and improvised it is, the more gaps it has and the more expanded terrorism gets. He stated that he believes that the majority of Iraqis are against terrorism and that terrorism is not a danger on a certain category, sect, religion, nationalist affiliation, party or individual but on everyone. He added that there are differences and disparities regarding the priorities of war on terrorism and that some discuss this priority while they may be right or wrong, considering that disparities are not at all an excuse to turn differences into the theory of “who is not with me is with Daesh”. His eminence highlighted that these terrorist groups are not concerned with the country and are forcing everyone affiliated with them to relinquish their national identity. He assured that Iraqis know who their enemy is in their battle against terrorism and know its methods to create political incubators for it; they understand the political and ideological slogans terrorism hide behind. Sayyid Al Hakim considered that terrorism is exposed to Iraqis and expressed his regret for the absence of any strategy to face it. He warned against giving terrorism chances to expand because of the weakness of the strategy although there are potentials that help siege it and achieve qualitative victories in the battle against with the minimal human and material losses possible. His Eminence explained that the terrorism we’re facing is due to a takfiri thought seeking to kill the largest number of people and to cause terror without any discrimination or focus on specific goals it wants from their criminal operations, calling security apparatuses to devise a strategy based on this understanding.
     
    After the Bloody Attacks in Hillah, Checkpoints Must Abandon the Routine Conventional Measures
    His Eminence expressed his regret for the disregard of the constant warnings for the need to protect the surroundings of Baghdad and to pay attention to the mean schemes of the terrorist organization, Daesh, which aim at tearing the country apart through easily-penetrated regions, explaining that what happened at Babylon checkpoint revealed plans of the terrorist organizations designed to compromise the security efforts in the regions from North Karbala through Wasit, West Diyala and south Salaheddine to Kirkuk with events stirring in Anbar and most of our military and security being busy in fighting in the battles there. He said the group is not larger than the security expectations, but it deals more skillfully with the changing situations and does not spend all its power in Anbar as some imagine, yet uses the events in Anbar to distract the Iraqi forces and deplete their strength in tactical confrontations with a number of armed people, while focusing its main power in the regions surrounding Baghdad, Hamrin Mountains, Mosul, north Babylon and Diyala. Here he called for taking caution and to get prepared for any possibilities without resorting to personal opinions and individual suggestions, reiterating that the war against terrorism is everyone's war for the life and the future and the victory over terrorism is a victory for all Iraqis and for the sake of Iraq. He stated that the Hillah assault against a security checkpoint at the entrance of the city proves that the dark terrorism looks for the highest human concentrations, not a specific target. He added that the checkpoints were basically designed to detect and fight terrorism, but their mechanisms made them a target for terrorism and terrorists because they provide them with the ground they need to exercise their evil acts and satisfy their desires thirsty for the blood of our resisting and patient people. Moreover, he stressed the importance that the security checkpoints abandon the repeated routine and conventional methods, praising the huge efforts of the security and military institution in fighting terrorism and its great sacrifices in order to maintain the security of the country and the citizens. He also urged the security institution to take the initiative and reconsider its current conventional practices, underlining the importance of a global strategy not only limited to security, but also covering all political, cultural, social, economic and developments aspects, justifying this by the fact that the terrorism is the result of a bloody perverted thought and must be prevented from spreading out and completely destroyed.  
     
    We Warn against Political Defamation
    His Eminence called on everyone to be greater than the moment they are living and to try hard to refine their electoral methods, warning against opening the door of the political defamation because once it is opened it cannot be closed. He said everyone can resort to self-defense and the political action is not only an ethical and legal commitment to the constitution, the law and the people; rather it is essentially a commitment to God and to those with living conscience. He explained that it is naïve to think of elections while neglecting the post-election period and to forget that elections are a way of producing a new parliament and a new government, thus focusing on the way while disregarding the result. In his opinion, the public is provoked when a rumor is circulated, a fabricated issue is raised or when there is an attempt to defame a political figure by promoting fabricated and provocative attitudes, especially when such figure is of high religious and social prominence. In addition, he wondered to where these immoral and illegal means lead and how to deal with the psychological consequences and wounds left by such bad means? And what example we are giving to our people when we defame each other today and kiss each other tomorrow. He said there will a decisive, strong response against the party who resorts to defamation and fabricate false portfolios against political figures and such response will be surprising to everyone. Moreover, he maintained that the Martyr of the Niche movement does not consider itself in a confrontation with anybody and will not engage in any, warning that our patience has limits and we will surprise anyone who dares to cross the red lines and our dignity is above everything, life without dignity has no value and we will not allow anyone to attack the dignity and the reputation of any of the political and moral figures under any circumstance or pretext. Here, he reiterated the importance of the unity, but from a position of strength and mutual respect, saying we will not accept any justifications whatever their origin or size is, praying to God to allow a room of wisdom in the minds of everybody and that no one resorts to or relies on the political defamation.    
    Constructive Change
    His Eminence pointed out to the call of the wise marja to the constructive change concept, which, for him, means a change for the better, explaining the link between the change and the movement of the prophets and the reformers. He said the supreme marja is an extension of the movement of the prophets and calls for change for the better so that the Iraqi citizens stay in touch with the political change they witnessed in 2003 and their transition from a totalitarian dictatorship to a plural democratic regime and from a closed environment with unique thought and course to a diverse and sharing environment. According to him, it is here where the change means continuous change and communication with the new course of the Iraqi society. He said the change is about new ideas, practices and understanding of the reality and a new vision of the future through which mistakes are addressed, gaps are filled and the country is ruled with a well-defined vision, studied platforms and harmonious staff, wondering what citizens want. In his opinion, the citizens want security, services, development, prosperous future, peace and luxurious living. He considered the needs of the citizens as a high value that must be translated into action and at the same time, citizens are required to seek to achieve their will through the ballot boxes, describing the change as a life necessity in all areas of life and in politics that gains double momentum because it represents the essence of the democratic thought; the change must be for the better and not just for change. Moreover, he said men naturally move to the better and if they encounter difficulties, they deal with them and keep walking forward seeking the better. This is the human nature God created men with, adding that rarely men surrender to the reality; even when they are strongly subjected to the reality, they rise up and seek the change. What if the means are available, the ground is prepared, and the right is guaranteed for everybody to move forward and achieve the change for the better. His Eminence confirmed that the change needs means and in the free, democratic political life, elections are the means. Finally, he said everybody has an ethical, human, social and legal responsibility because we have the means and we have the right to use it.