‘Dancing with snakes’: PM’s new advisor echoes Al-Kadhimi in criticism of political blocs

BAGHDAD — Abdul Amir Taiban, newly appointed as an advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani, has criticized the growing attacks against the government, stating that they have intensified as opponents witness “major successes.”

Taiban highlighted the political challenges faced by Al-Sudani, referring to a statement made by former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, who once described navigating Iraq’s political landscape as “dancing with snakes.”

Excerpts from Abdul Amir Taiban’s interview with Al-Rasheed TV:

What Al-Sudani has achieved, compared to previous governments, is remarkable. I challenge all former prime ministers, including the last one, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, to implement 100% of the government program for several reasons, the most important being the lack of political and security stability and the nature of the quota-based political system, which prevents any prime minister from having full authority. Ministerial portfolios are distributed according to the seats of the political blocs, and the prime minister is not responsible for implementing 60% of his program because he does not have absolute authority over his ministerial team.

The political blocs do not choose their ministers based on competence, but rather on personal preferences. Some ministers were called back from Europe, while others were at a café smoking hookah when they were informed of their nomination. Thus, the talk of a cabinet reshuffle is justified because the prime minister is forced to accept some ministers in his government.

I call on the members of parliament who attack Al-Sudani to follow up on the ministries they are responsible for instead of making noise on television, especially after the case of Mohammed Juhi. All former prime ministers have faced similar issues. Which one of them did not have corrupt or incompetent officials discovered in their ministries?

The Mohammed Juhi case is before the judiciary, and it will decide the matter. There is not a single piece of evidence implicating the prime minister in this case. All the rumors are nothing but noise. Al-Sudani is from a well-known tribe and a respectable family, known for his upbringing and morals, and he lived through the tough times of the sanctions.

All the current political forces are involved in espionage cases, and each side is spying on the other. I myself have been targeted by espionage. Those accusing Al-Sudani of espionage possess advanced devices for this purpose. The issue of Juhi was raised as a result of these forces demanding control of the intelligence and national security positions. Everything that has happened and been issued by these parties is an attempt to blackmail Al-Sudani.

Al-Sudani cannot be cornered, as the prime minister’s strength lies in the depth of the Iraqi people. He has the right to seek a second term due to his success in managing the government, just as all his predecessors have done.

The issue of handing over heavy weapons to the Peshmerga forces falls under the jurisdiction of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The Iraqi constitution grants the prime minister the authority to set the state’s general policies, but “the group” wants to turn him into a mere figurehead to give them more freedom.

Some parties have interfered in every detail of the state’s institutions. Some ministers cannot be blamed if there is a shortfall in their ministries because they are constrained by an office manager appointed by the political bloc. The office manager is controlled by an economic committee from one of Baghdad’s neighborhoods, which directs and dominates him, controlling the ministry’s resources and the Iraqi people’s fate.

Our war with the Zionist entity is ideological, but let’s be frank and realistic: both the U.S. and Israel have control over global political decisions, and they possess highly advanced technology. The proof lies in what has been happening in Lebanon. All the leaders who accuse Al-Sudani of espionage have themselves been spied on by the U.S. and Israel.

One cannot burden the prime minister with more than he can handle. Everything that has happened is extortion because they have seen his success becoming a tangible reality and turning into popular support. His election victory is certain, as evidenced by the frustration of other parties. “The group is going crazy.”

All the top ‘clerics’ [al-kahna, a term he uses for highly influential politicians] are involved in the Nur Zuheir case. He is one of their slaves and brokers, and they are responsible for his escape, despite the judicial rulings against him. Al-Sudani has nothing to do with it, neither directly nor indirectly.

The best description of the political blocs is what Mustafa Al-Kadhimi called them when he said, “I am dancing with snakes.”