Al-Maliki claims Iraq may need to ‘engage’ if conflict widens

BAGHDAD — Nouri Al-Maliki, the leader of State of Law Coalition, stated in an interview that Iraq must be prepared to engage fully if regional conflict expands, saying that any decision for Iraq to enter a war should be a decision for parliament.

Al-Maliki underscored that while evolving conditions may necessitate military involvement, only parliamentary approval can authorize such action, reaffirming that Iraq’s response will be based on ‘national consensus’ and legal frameworks.

Excerpts from Nouri Al-Maliki’s interview with Ahad TV:

If the battle expands to include everyone, we must not be far from it, and we should be engaged in all its details. Can Iraq avoid being part of the war and the battlefield if it ignites and widens? But everything in its time; this is a national decision.

In reality, the maturity of conditions and the development of events may necessitate war, but the vote and decision rest with parliament. The state does not enter a war except by parliamentary decision. However, it is undoubtedly the government and political forces that present this matter to parliament. Neither the Prime Minister nor the Speaker of Parliament has the right to declare war; war is declared only by parliament.

In terms of calculations, the majority of parliamentarians, whether it includes 5% of one ethnicity or 50% of another, ultimately, the important thing is that parliament, by its majority and in accordance with legal frameworks, moves towards endorsing either war or peace.

Iraq is not armed in a way that would allow it to storm the front, but we must not be absent in any degree if the war ignites; this is a matter of principle. As of now, the matter should remain under the control of the government and parliament to decide.

I see no difference between the Republicans and Democrats; war is war. Biden killed Haniyeh and Hassan Nasrallah, and Trump killed the victory leaders. But the difference that will occur is that Trump will continue what Biden started by burning areas surrounding Palestine to secure Israel’s borders. They will burn Gaza before stopping the fire, and I am sure they will halt the fire but only after finishing Gaza, the West Bank, and southern Lebanon. They will expand into the Golan, and there will be a buffer zone to protect Israel from attacks by Palestinians and Arabs from Shiites and Sunnis in general.