Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi speaks during a meeting in Baghdad, as his National Coalition calls for restricting weapons exclusively to state authority.
Allawi’s National Coalition renews call to limit weapons to the state
BAGHDAD — The National Coalition led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi renewed its call for restricting weapons exclusively to the state, urging political forces to take steps to end all armed activity outside official institutions.
In a statement, the coalition said it has been “among the first political forces to clearly and explicitly call for restricting weapons to the state and forming a unified national general national command of the armed forces that bears responsibility for protecting Iraq and its people, enforcing the rule of law, and putting an end to all manifestations of weapons outside the framework of the state and its constitutional institutions.”
The coalition said Allawi has long opposed the creation of armed groups outside state authority, saying he “categorically rejected dealing with the Iraq Liberation Law except through the political path” and refused at the time “to form any armed force affiliated with him,” adhering to his stance against establishing any force beyond state control.
Statement from the National Coalition led by Ayad Allawi:
The National Coalition, led by Dr. Ayad Allawi, has been among the first political forces to call clearly and explicitly for restricting weapons to the state and for forming a unified national general command of the armed forces that bears responsibility for protecting Iraq and its people, enforcing the rule of law, and putting an end to all manifestations of weapons outside the framework of the state and its constitutional institutions.
In this context, it is important to recall that Dr. Ayad Allawi categorically rejected dealing with the Iraq Liberation Law except through the political process, and at the time rejected the formation of any armed force affiliated with him, adhering to his firm stance against establishing any force outside the framework of the state. He also clearly expressed his rejection of the idea of occupation and warned that the continued presence of occupation forces at the time would lead to chaos and trigger resistance, a reality that was later borne out by events.
The National Coalition affirms that its participation in parliamentary elections stems from its deep conviction in the principle of genuine national partnership and democratic practice, which Dr. Ayad Allawi laid the foundations for since the first elections, despite the challenges, pressures and exceptional circumstances Iraq has endured. This belief is rooted in the understanding that building the state can only be achieved through constitutional institutions and respect for the will of the people.
Iraq today stands at a historic crossroads, and in light of rapid regional and international changes, it is no longer acceptable to continue policies of evading responsibility or to prioritize narrow factional and partisan interests at the expense of the supreme national interest.
Accordingly, the National Coalition calls on all political forces to fully assume their national responsibilities and to work seriously toward the successful fulfillment of constitutional obligations, the formation of authorities and institutions on solid national foundations, and the achievement of this as quickly as possible, away from narrow quota-based arrangements and any considerations that could harm the interests of the Iraqi state.
The National Coalition stresses that political wisdom today does not mean compromising state sovereignty, but rather taking courageous and responsible decisions that protect Iraq from sliding into chaos. Iraq’s existence and stability depend on the presence of strong institutional governance, an effective rule of law, and an independent national decision that is not subject to any external will.
In conclusion, the National Coalition affirms that accelerating the formation of the government in line with electoral entitlements, adopting standards of democratic practice, and respecting voters’ rights to choose their representatives constitute the correct approach to establishing constitutional legitimacy and adhering to constitutional timelines in accordance with the law.