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Ibrahim Al-Sumaidaie, advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, appeared on Al-Sumaria TV (Iraq) on December 17, 2024, where he stated that in light of the collapse of the Al-Assad regime and Hizbullah retreat, militias in Iraq should dismantle and integrate into the Iraqi political system. He explained that Iraq had previously served as a passageway to Syria and supported the Resistance Axis, but with recent regional changes, it could no longer continue serving the agendas of others. Al-Sumaidaie noted that Iraq could no longer be the spearhead of the Resistance Axis following the fall of Hizbullah and Al-Assad.
He urged armed factions to reconsider their role and take the initiative to dismantle and integrate into the political system, warning that if this step was not taken voluntarily, it might eventually be imposed from abroad. He emphasized that key security agencies in Iraq must focus on integrating the Popular Mobilization Front into the government system, similar to how Syria declared the dismantling and integration of HTS. While these militias played a significant role in the fight against ISIS, Al-Sumaidaie stressed that Iraq must stop resisting the will of the international community, as increasing pressure could lead to actions against the militias.
Ibrahim Al-Sumaidaie: "We have fulfilled our role serving as a passage [to Syria], and supporting the Axis [of Resistance]. We have sacrificed martyrs, and have made economic sacrifices as well, but today, I believe that the Iraqi regime is in danger. Today, arrangements are being made for a New Middle East and a New World Order. A global bulldozer is on its way to raze the world to the ground and draw up a new world.
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"Today, you can no longer be a country that serves the agenda of others. Enough! Enough! Iraq, unfortunately... It has become a second nature to us. We served the socialist agenda. We served the pan-Arab agenda. We served the Axis of Resistance.
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"The 'others', to be honest, did not want to end up like Hizbullah or Bashar Al-Assad, and will not sacrifice themselves for your sake.
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"Iraq cannot become the spearhead of the Resistance Axis, after the fall of Al-Assad and the retreat of Hizbullah in Lebanon. I think that clearly we have a responsibility today... The brother in the [armed] factions should reconsider the situation, and they should take the initiative to dismantle themselves, and become integrated in the political system.
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"This time, if we do not do it by ourselves, it might be imposed upon us from abroad."
Interviewer: "How?"
Al-Sumaidaie: "By force. Definitely."
Interviewer: "So we will be targeted. They will..."
Al-Sumaidaie: "Without a doubt.
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"They need to be dismantled."
Interviewer: "The weapons of the factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces?"
Al-Sumaidaie: "With regard to the PMF... Let us be... The PMF is one of the important security agencies."
Interviewer: "That's true, but there is a direct American demand to dismantle the PMF and to restructure it."
Al-Sumaidaie: "Well, Al-Joulani – despite the circumstances [in Syria] – declared after just one week that the various factions that make up the HTS would be dismantled and integrated into the governmental system. What prevents us from doing the same? What prevents [the Iraqi factions] from doing the same?"
Interviewer: "Prevent them from doing what?"
Al-Sumaidaie: "They should agree to become part of the state and not parallel to the state.
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"We benefitted from the existence of the armed factions in the war of liberation against ISIS. Let me be honest. If these resistance factions were not battle-ready, Baghdad might have fallen in 2014. But how come the Syrians beat us to it in dismantling their factions? Why are we obstinately rejecting the will of the international community, and allow our democracy to be tainted with militia and weapons. Let us reexamine ourselves and say that we have fulfilled all our duties – the liberation, the defense of Baghdad, the restoration of our military force... Even with regard to the front to support [Gaza]... If we had to join the fight for Gaza, we would have fulfilled this role.
"Now I believe that it is not in our best interest, or the interest of those brothers, to be obstinate and oppose the will of the international community, because the [world] will not be patient with us for another twenty years. Either they will use direct military pressure [on the armed factions], or they will put pressure on the state, using economic and political means."
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Interviewer: "Can we say that in light of the developments in the region, the Resistance Axis has become a thing of the past?"
Al-Sumaidaie: "I think yes, to a large extent."
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