Al-Maliki rallies behind Iraqi military on 92nd anniversary

Speaker of the House al-Nujiafi supports demonstrators' demands Baghdad – Jaafar Al Nasrawi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has denounced attempts to "intimidate" Iraq's army, calling on the military establishment to "fear no-one." Speaker of the House of Representatives Usama al-Nujaifi meanwhile called on military and security forces to disobey orders to "suppress" demonstrations.
"Politicians should not intimidate the army with threats," al-Maliki said in a televised address marking the 92nd anniversary of the establishment of the national army. "Army, police and security personnel should not be subjected to political intimidation when they enter the fray of bloody confrontation." The army should "fear no-one" when it is "performing its professional duties," he added.
"We must direct all our allegiances towards this country," al-Maliki said, criticising any "involvement with the agendas and interests of others outside the country's borders."
Al-Maliki called for national unity during a “difficult test” for Iraq. “This will not happen unless we band together and reject foreign interference,” he said.
"Regional competition and polarisation and the sectarian tensions that surround us," the PM said, "have begun to cast a heavy shadow across Iraq."
The Iraqi Prime Minister denied the army was fighting “isolated terrorist or criminal groups,” but instead faced wholesale ideological currents sweeping the whole region.
"Relying on the support of this or that regional camp to weaken an internal Iraqi camp is a dangerous act that opens the gates of evil," al-Maliki said, adding "we opened these floodgates when we disagreed and went our separate ways in the face of intended interferences which were at sometimes even publically stated and from within the highest levels.
Al-Maliki demanded that neighbouring countries respect Iraq's internal affairs.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Usama al-Nujaifi, has meanwhile urged Iraqi security forces not to obey orders to "suppress" demonstrations.
Speaking after parliamentary deliberations on Sunday, al-Nujaifi said: "This session asserts the non-violent nature of the demonstrations and that no sectarian or ethnic slogans will be raised," calling on security forces to "protect the demonstrators.”
The Iraqi politician also announced the formation of a parliamentary committee to visit demonstrations and process executive and judicial requests.
The speaker also asserted the Iraqi parliament would vote on a law governing federal courts and the general pardon law on Tuesday, noting an “agreement” to amend counter-terrorism laws as well as the Accountability and Justice Act, which demonstrations have demanded be repealed.
The provinces of Anbar, Nineveh and Saladdin have witnessed mass demonstrations since December 25 attended by clerics, tribal chiefs and officials including Governor of Nineveh Atheel al-Nujaifi and Finance Minister Raffi al-Issawi. The protests demand the release of female and political prisoners, a change in the government’s direction and the prosecution of those accused of sexually assaulting female prisoners.