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Shafaq News / The former US ambassador to Syria and Algeria, researcher at the Middle East Institute in Washington, Robert Ford, said on Wednesday that the current political crisis in Baghdad constitutes "the beginning of the end of the Iraqi political system", which was established under the umbrella of the United States in the period 2003 - 2011.
Ford said, in an article published by the Saudi "Middle East" website, that "the Americans did not write the Iraqi constitution, but the Iraqis themselves, but the Americans insisted that the Iraqis finish drafting the constitution according to a timetable set by the authority of the civil ruler led by Paul Bremer, despite The time was not realistic.
He added that "the Americans also did not allow the formulation of the (quota) system that allows Iraqi political parties to exploit control over ministries for money and jobs, and the Iraqi political parties are the ones who established this system, but the Americans put pressure on those political parties to build coalition governments that encouraged establishing a quota system.
Ford pointed out that "the Americans put pressure on (Nuri al-Maliki) to take over the position of prime minister in 2006, and then again in 2010," pointing out that the most important thing, is that "the Americans committed two major strategic mistakes in the early years of the new Iraqi regime, The first is to be naive about the militia problem."
He continued, "In September 2003, when I was representing Paul Bremer in Najaf, he (Badr Corps) arrested me at gunpoint for four hours before releasing me, so when I worked at the US Embassy since 2004, I knew the militias' danger to security and stability. in Iraq".
Ford noted, "The Americans focused their efforts on completely eradicating al-Qaeda from Iraq, not completely eliminating the various Iraqi militias, and therefore, while the Americans were fighting (the Mahdi Army) led by Muqtada al-Sadr, they welcomed the militia members, whether from Anbar or Salah al-Din, Hilla, Sadr City, or Basra, to join the political process, and encouraged them to join political parties or form parties and compete in elections.
He added, "Our thinking was naive, as we thought that the militia leaders would give up their weapons and would only work in Parliament and with the Council of Ministers, to secure projects for their communities, but the militias kept their weapons, and the Iraqi government did not make any meaningful effort to disarm them."
He stressed that "the Americans accepted the matter, because they did not want to face a broader war or a longer period of time," adding: "After the return of American forces to Iraq in 2014, the Americans sought to destroy (ISIS) only, and accepted tactical alliances with militias loyal to Iran in the issue of destroying ISIS." this organization."
He added, "There is no doubt that Iran played a dirty game in those years, but the Americans also bear some responsibility for the spread of militias, which are now working to undermine stability and storm the political process in Iraq."
Ford indicated, "The second strategic mistake the United States made in Iraq lies in giving the militias and their allies from the political parties more resources. We had a superficial understanding of corruption in the new Iraqi republic, so that the Americans tried to strengthen institutions to combat corruption, such as (the Integrity Commission)." and the creation of general inspectors in the various ministries.
He explained that "the US embassy knew in 2007 that the office of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was interfering with the work of the (Integrity Commission) in relation to the appointment of employees, and also interfering in corruption investigations. Commission of Integrity) to resign in 2007, but despite this, the United States, which was focused entirely on immediate political crises, and not on the growing long-term problem of corruption, did not intervene.
Ford concluded, "Now, in 2022, endemic corruption in the Iraqi state, and the resulting failure to rebuild infrastructure such as electricity and water networks, threatens the very existence of the political system."
He concluded his speech by noting that "these short-sighted failures regarding militias and corruption in Iraq 10 or 15 years ago are due to those who overestimate the capabilities of the United States, expressing his hope that the Iraqis will find a "peaceful exit from the current crisis, for which the Americans do not have any Answer".
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An American official talks about the beginning of the end of the political system in Iraq: This is our fault
Shafaq News / The former US ambassador to Syria and Algeria, researcher at the Middle East Institute in Washington, Robert Ford, said on Wednesday that the current political crisis in Baghdad constitutes "the beginning of the end of the Iraqi political system", which was established under the umbrella of the United States in the period 2003 - 2011.
Ford said, in an article published by the Saudi "Middle East" website, that "the Americans did not write the Iraqi constitution, but the Iraqis themselves, but the Americans insisted that the Iraqis finish drafting the constitution according to a timetable set by the authority of the civil ruler led by Paul Bremer, despite The time was not realistic.
He added that "the Americans also did not allow the formulation of the (quota) system that allows Iraqi political parties to exploit control over ministries for money and jobs, and the Iraqi political parties are the ones who established this system, but the Americans put pressure on those political parties to build coalition governments that encouraged establishing a quota system.
Ford pointed out that "the Americans put pressure on (Nuri al-Maliki) to take over the position of prime minister in 2006, and then again in 2010," pointing out that the most important thing, is that "the Americans committed two major strategic mistakes in the early years of the new Iraqi regime, The first is to be naive about the militia problem."
He continued, "In September 2003, when I was representing Paul Bremer in Najaf, he (Badr Corps) arrested me at gunpoint for four hours before releasing me, so when I worked at the US Embassy since 2004, I knew the militias' danger to security and stability. in Iraq".
Ford noted, "The Americans focused their efforts on completely eradicating al-Qaeda from Iraq, not completely eliminating the various Iraqi militias, and therefore, while the Americans were fighting (the Mahdi Army) led by Muqtada al-Sadr, they welcomed the militia members, whether from Anbar or Salah al-Din, Hilla, Sadr City, or Basra, to join the political process, and encouraged them to join political parties or form parties and compete in elections.
He added, "Our thinking was naive, as we thought that the militia leaders would give up their weapons and would only work in Parliament and with the Council of Ministers, to secure projects for their communities, but the militias kept their weapons, and the Iraqi government did not make any meaningful effort to disarm them."
He stressed that "the Americans accepted the matter, because they did not want to face a broader war or a longer period of time," adding: "After the return of American forces to Iraq in 2014, the Americans sought to destroy (ISIS) only, and accepted tactical alliances with militias loyal to Iran in the issue of destroying ISIS." this organization."
He added, "There is no doubt that Iran played a dirty game in those years, but the Americans also bear some responsibility for the spread of militias, which are now working to undermine stability and storm the political process in Iraq."
Ford indicated, "The second strategic mistake the United States made in Iraq lies in giving the militias and their allies from the political parties more resources. We had a superficial understanding of corruption in the new Iraqi republic, so that the Americans tried to strengthen institutions to combat corruption, such as (the Integrity Commission)." and the creation of general inspectors in the various ministries.
He explained that "the US embassy knew in 2007 that the office of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was interfering with the work of the (Integrity Commission) in relation to the appointment of employees, and also interfering in corruption investigations. Commission of Integrity) to resign in 2007, but despite this, the United States, which was focused entirely on immediate political crises, and not on the growing long-term problem of corruption, did not intervene.
Ford concluded, "Now, in 2022, endemic corruption in the Iraqi state, and the resulting failure to rebuild infrastructure such as electricity and water networks, threatens the very existence of the political system."
He concluded his speech by noting that "these short-sighted failures regarding militias and corruption in Iraq 10 or 15 years ago are due to those who overestimate the capabilities of the United States, expressing his hope that the Iraqis will find a "peaceful exit from the current crisis, for which the Americans do not have any Answer".
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