Iraq assassination attempt against PM al-Kadhimi fails
Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The Prime Minister of Iraq, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, survived a sophisticated assassination attack. It is known that an armed drone laden with explosives tried to kill him.
Seven security guards protecting al-Kadhimi were injured in this brazen assassination attempt. Immediately, al-Kadhimi called for calm and for this provocation to be countered appropriately.
Al-Kadhimi said, “The security forces are taking the necessary measures in connection with this failed attempt.”
He further stated, “Cowardly rocket and drone attacks don’t build homelands and don’t build a future.”
The Guardian reports, “Al-Kadhimi, 54, was Iraq’s former intelligence chief before becoming prime minister in May last year. He is considered by the militias to be close to the US, and has tried to find a balance between Iraq’s alliances with the US and Iran.”
The nation of Iraq remains unstable since the demise of Saddam Hussein in 2003. This isn’t to gloss over the crimes that happened under Hussein because they were brutal. For example, the chemical attack against Kurds in Halabja (killed thousands of Kurdish civilians), the persecution of the Shia, and other brutal deeds.
However, since the demise of Hussein; the majority of Christians have fled the country, Islamic State (ISIS) enslave the Yazidis, vast numbers of anti-Shia terrorist attacks and massacres committed by al-Qaida and ISIS, revenge massacres against the Sunnis by Shia death squads, and countless upheavals that have killed untold numbers and led to a failed state. The upshot is that the nation of Iraq is now beholden to the intrigues of America, Iran, Turkey, and other regional nations concerning geopolitical and sectarian ambitions.
Turning back to the assassination attempt against al-Kadhimi, Voice of America reports, “It was not clear who was behind the attack, nor was there an immediate claim of responsibility. It comes amid a stand-off between security forces and pro-Iran Shiite militias whose supporters have been camped outside the Green Zone for nearly a month after they rejected the results of Iraq’s parliamentary elections in which they were the biggest losers.”
The powerful Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr recently did well in the Iraqi election. However, while al-Sadr does have cordial relations with Iran, he opposes all external influence in Iraq irrespective of America, Iran, Turkey, or whoever. Al-Sadr – and others – want Iraq to be governed by the Iraqis and to solve internal issues with other political and religious groups within the country.
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