With the representation of six religious, four nationalist and Kurd, and three secular parties in the 275-member Parliament, Iraqis are evenly poised at the critical juncture of their national life, prestige and honour to make or mire the future of their generations to come.

Although beset with tremendous problems of gigantic magnitude, their economic, social, cultural, ethnic and religious orientation has all the right composition to help them build their society on sound footing provided right decision and direction is taken at the very outset of their new beginning. 

Political issues are being sorted out with matching concern and
seriousness, however, economic, ethnic, social and religious challenges are lurking in the offing to call for equal strength of character and wisdom as a nation. Iraq for the first time in its history has a President who is non-Arab. Jalal Talabani is a Kurd. Iraq is the only Arab country in the region that has a non-Arab Head of State. 

                                   Mr Jalal Talabani, Iraqi President

Two most oppressed communities during Saddam’s tyrannical regime, Kurds and Shias, have the most powers in nowadays Iraq and are faced with the toughest of challenges for any of the present day nations. 

Mr Jalal Talabani, the first representative President of New Iraq, 
addressing the special session of the Parliament on 7th April, on the
occasion of his oath taking ceremony, told, “We will rebuild the  Iraqi Government on principles of democracy, human rights... and the Islamic identity of the Iraqi government. [It will] preserve the liberty for all, where all the citizens, whether Shia or Sunni, will be brothers. 

” It is exactly the spirit and attitude that is needed to restructure Iraq on modern lines.Apart from making a constitution for the country fourchallenges haunt the nascent government and need its most attention and immediate action. Of course, the first one is the law and order situation at home; secondly it is the economic revival of the country, thirdly it is country’ s foreign policy orientations and fourthly it is the religious and spiritual anchorage and profile of the country that must take immediate shape.

                                   Nouri Al-Maliki, Iraqi Prime Minister

The composition of the Government is such as to enable it to counter
terrorism with full legitimacy and authority. Being representative of all sections of society and sanctioned by Islam it has all that is essentially needed to initiate substantial measure to neutralise terrorists groups operating in the country.

With Sheik Ghazi al-Yawar, a Sunni Arab President of the interim
government and Hajim al-Hassani, an American-educated Sunni Arab politician, as Speaker of the Assembly, Sunnis are substantially
represented in the new dispensation.

They cannot expect more although the leaders of Shia majority have all along been pointing out that the Sunnis and Shias of the country are its citizens and they cannot be differentiated one the grounds of sects. Even in secular dispensation Shias are bound to lead the country, however, dissenting community might make is difficult for it and surrounding countries, all except Iran, having non-Shia governments it would be rather impossible to bring peace and stability to the country if petty religious sensitivities are not considered at this state.

Later with a broader outlook and vision they will subside and give way to open mindedness and permissiveness and there will be a greater spirit of accommodation and tolerance among differing communities.

Presently everyone is wary of its past and cannot afford any laxity to spoil an opportunity for the aggrandizement of deprived communities of the most unfortunate people in the Middle East. It is quite understandable that all present political bickering entail religious and ethnic orientation.

However, with Ayatollah Sistani having the most powerful and the most wise voice in Iraq, it is hoped that religious harmony and integration will ensue sooner than later and the country will set and example on Islamic polity. Despite the wishes of the US policy-makers in the State Department and Pentagon, Iraq has no escape from Islam. It is its destiny. Through the public demonstrations on Tenth of Muharram and on the occasion of 40th day of Martyrdom of Imam Hussain by all sections of society across the length and breadth of the country the people have amply demonstrated their religious sensitivities.

                                 Another imp figure in Iraqi equation

Terrorism cannot defeat a nation. Terrorism in Iraq is bound to die its abominable death. The most cultured and dignified land of Islam cannot be destroyed by a handful of lunatics playing havoc with the lives and property of innocent and believing people in the name of Islam and nationalism.

They got to be dealt with severely. More than the property, lives of people, safety and security of the country, the name, veracity, integrity and serenity of Islam is at stake. These forces of Devil, scum of cults, obscurantists, half wits, and semi-lunatic bigots cannot be allowed to destroy Islam and whatever it has achieved so far in fourteen hundred years; that too in the name of Islam itself.

Only a lawful authority can intervene and act to neutralize such forces. People cannot act on their own even though they are at the receiving end of all the brunt. The new Government will have a test of its will and determination to act justly, unsparingly and timely to bring peace and stability to the country. Patience has already touched limits and can anytime flare into communal fight.

In one incident, according to an Interior Ministry official, about 50 armed Shiite Arabs blocked off a road southeast of Baghdad on Tuesday (5-4-2005) and detained 40 Sunni Arabs in retaliation for the kidnapping of seven Shiites the day before. The police sent officers to the area and found 13 of the detained Sunnis in nearby homes, the official said. Such incidents cannot be allowed to permeate for long.

On the foreign policy front the new Government of Ibrahim Jaafari, will have to shed the American influence and take in the regional realities to establish its stature as an independent, sovereign and a realist entity. The difference in perception on certain issues in international affairs is neither unnatural nor unusual so that it should not be taken as inimical to other party.

National interest should be the prime objective of a country’s foreign policy. Even though the US influence in the country is tremendous Iraq should not mar the atmosphere of friendship and tolerance with its neighbours. It was quite heartening to listen to President Talabani, in his first speech to Assembly just after his oath taking ceremony, thank Syria and Iran, for their friendly overtures and effective role in the past months to support efforts to bring peace and stability to the country.

To take lead in initiating reconciliation the new Government should remove training camps of Mujahideen Khalq in Iraq bordering Iran which earlier Saddam and then the US had allowed to operate against Iran and which are an eyesore to Government in Tehran. Further any nationalist movement with innocent blood on its hands pursuing disruptive and destructive policies against a just and peaceful neighbour cannot and should not be supported under any circumstances.

Information

Although beset with tremendous problems of gigantic magnitude, their economic, social, cultural, ethnic and religious orientation has all the right composition to help them build their society on sound footing provided right decision and direction is taken at the very outset of their new beginning. 

First appeared in Pakistan Observer on April 13, 2005

Bush Obama 

Saddam Hussain,  Iraqi dictator deposed and killed