Iraq Press Roundup

Application of the laws passed by the Iraqi Parliament, the Presidency Council and the Cabinet has been faced with many obstacles and complications and many haven't been passed by their deadlines.

The people of Iraq are concerned about the situation, as laws are required to pass a vote by the Parliament whose members have agreed to disagree, the independent Kul al-Iraq newspaper said Thursday.

The unstable decision and the strict role of the government

The Iraqi public dislikes the notion that laws are up to the Parliament to decide, because it means either a delay or disagreement. Some members of Parliament might purposely delay passing the laws for personal interests or because they are against parties that back the measures.

Many other laws "passed" by the Cabinet are unstable. After these laws are passed, Iraqi authorities hesitate to implement them, as most of the figures responsible are not suitable to carry out their duties.

The Iraqi public realizes this reality and greets it with fear. The raise in salaries, for example, was implemented for a short time, but most employees sense this is unlikely to last. The laws passed by the Iraqi Cabinet are subject to cancellation and delay due to the incompetence of Iraqi authorities.

The government of Saddam Hussein made it clear that any law for the benefit of the Iraqi people was considered a legal right that no side could cancel or ignore.

The current Iraqi government has a habit of changing and modifying laws. If such a policy had an impact on anything, it is to encourage people to lose trust in the government.

Democracy as a concept and a system of government has had a growing influence on countries for more than 70 years. After the collapse of the oppressive governments, democracy was supported to rebuild those countries.

Democracy is a logical start to a new future, even if it is not complete. History indicates that success is when democracy is achieved to bring civil peace, the Kurdish al-Taakhi newspaper said Thursday.

The Kurds, Kirkuk and the future of Iraq

Democracy is the base of political competition for free elections leading to the promotion of various programs that develop states on different levels.

Democracy is a transparent system that requires a "national will" that considers demographics as the basis of societal development.

The Kurdish political powers realized this characteristic of democracy through their political work since the 1930s. The Kurdistan Democratic Party that was established in 1946 was the best to carry out the concepts of democracy.

Other Iraqi political powers must take advantage of the experience of the KDP when calling for "democracy for Iraq." The inclusive governments of Iraq in the past led to political, social and economic disasters.

The impact of democracy in Kurdistan was witnessed when authorities in the region hosted thousands of displaced Iraqis who fled violence in other parts of the region.

Sacrificing oneself is an ancient concept in history. Most religions encouraged people to sacrifice themselves to defend their property, honor, principles and families.

In Islam, sacrifice meant martyrdom, which is rewarded in heaven. However, some people elaborated on this concept to include the killing of others who oppose them as "defense," al-Sabaah newspaper of the Iraqi government said Thursday.

Failure of the expiatory groups and the beginning of their defeat

By killing the innocent in suicide explosions, the suicide bombers turn themselves into criminals. This ideology was distributed by some Islamists who interpreted the religion of Islam to be against those who oppose their beliefs.

The concept of the killing of the innocents for martyrdom goes against the nature of Iraqi society, even in times when Iraq was involved in unjust wars.

Many of the expiatory groups have convinced some Iraqis that suicide attacks are martyrdom. Yet, there are no signs of the number of Iraqis have performed them. Neither are there signs they were not involved in suicide attacks. Nevertheless, it cannot be considered an Iraqi phenomenon.

Attempts to persuade men to carry out suicide attacks have decreased, leading the radicals to try to use women for the missions. This means that the security situation is "improving" and the expiatory groups are failing.

It is to be mentioned that there are many cases in the West and Africa in which radicals were successful in convincing people to carry out suicide attacks, however.

The lesson here is that as much as people should be aware of suicide attacks, they should not generalize their origins.