The ability of the government in Baghdad on the fragile reform

The ability of the government in Baghdad on the fragile reform

By Hassan Hassan - translation: Alyazah Alibdwaoa

Date: May 19, 2016



The political system in Iraq, seems closer to the patient in the recovery room, broke into thousands of Iraqi demonstrators, finally, the House of Representatives building inside Baghdad's Green Zone.

The ongoing challenge is the most serious crisis facing the political system, established by the United States 13 years ago, especially as it comes in light of the economic and military profound and multiple social woes, the country can not be resolved.

I have fed each of the political stagnation and economic protest movement, and reinforced by the religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's remarks in Najaf, where he met with the reform agenda presented by the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, a welcome Sistani initially, but the latter criticized, at a later date, Prime Minister reforms as «extremely slow».

In February last, he committed Sistani «silence», in relation to the political crisis, also declined to make further comments on the situation. Sudden withdrawal of Sistani to send mixed messages contributed, was this a way to stay in the state of neutrality or expression of displeasure towards the pace of reforms, the Prime Minister?

Continuous escalation

Shortly after the withdrawal of al-Sistani, the cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has emerged as a key actor. The moves came shortly after al-Sistani Declaration, what gave the impression that his intervention was in coordination with al-Sistani.

Muqtada al-Sadr has threatened to continuous escalation against the government, including requiring demonstrators to enter the well-protected Green Zone, an exclusive castle political elite since the invasion of Iraq. The demands included the formation of a government of technocrats, and put an end to the political system, ethnic and sectarian, and integrating «militias popular crowd» allied with the Iraqi government in both the army and police.

And mayors of Muqtada al-Sadr threatened, during the month of February, that the initial motto «removal» (as a signal to remove corrupt politicians) be changed to «remove and uproot» political system. As it baptized on 27 March, to cancel an expected storming of the Green Zone process, declaring that he would enter the region himself as a representative of the people. The protesters broke into the area, and finally, Muqtada al-Sadr has exhausted all his papers, so the things that will happen after that is open to speculation.

The desire and opportunity

The developments that have taken place so far unprecedented, indeed, the fact that you are the leadership of the protest movement and controlled by a specific figure does not call for a lot of discomfort, since it can contain the situation.

Therefore, the popular desire for change can be seen as an opportunity. It seems that the consensus among Iraqis is that you can not ignore such demands for change, and that previous cases of empty promises will not contribute to calm the protesters. Thus the real reforms appear as the only way forward for the government.

The problem, though, in that the momentum is strong popular for change, while the government's ability to reform, including changes beyond the virtual, is weak.

The country is also suffering a variety of challenges, starting with a severe economic crisis, through to ongoing military and security challenges. US officials, who met many of their counterparts in the Iraqi government, finally, I've talked about Iraq's dysfunctional, and in a manner that is a matter of depression.

Receiving strong regional and international support in recent weeks, in the form of a long series of phone calls is unprecedented, as well as a surprise visit by US Vice President Joe Biden, are all factors that did not help the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

The storming of the House of Representatives as a wake-up call that his government is facing serious internal problems, it will be difficult to deal with in the near future, let alone restrict Haider al-Abadi considerations of legitimacy and power-sharing, where it would be difficult for him to ignore them, and at a time which is seeking to form a national-salvation government, calm those who are demanding radical change and fast.

rule

Haider al-Abadi was appointed prime minister in Iraq, before twenty months, in order to reverse the polarization created by his predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki, and to cope with the collapse that followed the takeover «Daash» Mosul. Abadi has worked to present himself in a manner different from al-Maliki, but it failed to bring about a change in the way, which leads the country functions.

The Iraqi Prime Minister is facing today is more complicated crisis, it must be overwhelming jubilation, after the storming of the protesters to the House of Representatives as a reminder that it is no longer possible to govern the country from inside the castle America had been founded in the capital Baghdad. Iraqis want real change can not be the current political system to achieve.

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