Former Iraqi MP Mithal Al-Alusi: The PMU Is Trying To Recreate IRGC In Iraq, Take Over Civilian Responsibilities, Abolish The Iraqi State

Former Iraqi MP Mithal Al-Alusi said that the PMU is trying to replicate the model of the IRGC and take over civilian responsibilities such as roads, water, budget, and agrarian reform, and to abolish the Iraqi state. He made these remarks in an interview with Zagros TV (Iraqi Kurdistan) that aired on February 13, 2021. Al-Alusi said that Iraqis who oppose Iran, the militias, or corruption are not safe in Iraq, and the Kurds have opposed all of these. He added that Iran considers Iraq a rival, it does not want Iraq to exist, and if the Kurds do not comply with Iranian control, they will be forced to pay the price, just like Basra, Anbar, and other regions of Iraq.

Mithal Al-Alusi: "Iraqis do not feel safe in Baghdad. They do not feel safe in Basra, in Karbala, or in Najaf. Anyone who opposes Iran is not safe. End of Story. Anyone who opposes the militias is not safe. End of story. Anyone who opposes corruption is not safe. End of story.

"Calmly and politely, the Kurds objected to the corruption and they paid the price for it. They objected to the militias and they paid the price for it. They objected to Iran and they paid the price for it. They objected to America and Britain and they paid the price for it.

[...]

"There can be no Iraq without the Kurds. There can be no Iraq without the Sunnis. There can be no Iraq without the Yazidis. There can be no Iraq without the Christians. Whoever chooses to be upset by it is welcome to it, but there can be no Iraq without the Jews.

"The Iraqi civilization of Mesopotamia is a civilization [comprised of various] religions and nationalities – the Syriacs, the Chaldeans, they Assyrians, the Sumerians, the Babylonians, and the Muslims. And we are all descendants of these forefathers. This is the Iraqi civilization.

[...]

"Will Tehran allow Iraq to have an army? No. My question is this: We have one million Iraqi soldiers and officers. They are all respected citizens [who serve] in the army and the police. If they all cannot provide security for the country, then discharge them. If only the PMU can do it, discharge them. What are they doing in the army?

"My second question is what the PMU has to do with roads, water, budget, and agrarian reform? This is [an attempt to] replicate the IRGC and to abolish the Iraqi state."