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Dr. Ayad Allawi, Former Prime Minister of Iraq and current member of the parliament held a discussion on Iraqi politics. The discussion was hosted in conjunction with American Friends Service Committee on July 25, 2008.
Allawi stressed the importance of reconciliation, including reaching an agreement on Iraqi refugees, the internally displaced, and the disarmament of militias. Equally vital is upholding security through a non-sectarian army and police. While the surge has temporarily improved the security situation in Iraq, it is necessary to transform the surge’s military gains into political ones as Iraq remains fragile. In addition, the debaathification law should not be politicized thereby allowing the prosecution of non-criminals, but it should hold those who committed crimes against the Iraqi people accountable for their actions.
Allawi stressed that the withdrawal of troops from Iraq needs to combine a timeframe and a set of conditions. The Iraqi parliament is puzzled in regards to the UN security agreement, and there isn’t enough time to negotiate a bilateral agreement and ratify it. In addition, there is a need for creating a healthy regional environment where international organizations such as the Arab League play a role in the reconciliation.
In the question and answer session Allawi said that the federal system is largely agreed upon, but stability is essential so that it isn’t adopted hastily. Iraq enjoys good relations with Saudi Arabia and there is no need for the United States to mediate dialogue with other Arab states. The relationship with Iran is tense and unbalanced; both states have to recognize each other’s rights to exist and resort to dialogue. Allawi also addressed issues including suicide bombers and the need for a joint fight against extremism, and Kirkuk.
