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Iraqi President Stresses: PMF Must Be Subject to State Authority

Iraqi President Barham Salih (Iraqi Presidency)
Iraqi President Barham Salih (Iraqi Presidency)
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Iraqi President Stresses: PMF Must Be Subject to State Authority

Iraqi President Barham Salih (Iraqi Presidency)
Iraqi President Barham Salih (Iraqi Presidency)

Iraqi President Barham Salih indicated that the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) were formed at a time when ISIS stormed Mosul and the country was facing a crisis, however, all these forces must now be subject to state authority.

Salih confirmed that there was an agreement between Baghdad and Washington on the complete withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

Baghdad and Washington do not want a permanent US military presence in Iraq, adding that Iran is “our neighbor and we want to integrate it into the regional framework, but we are also keen on maintaining our sovereignty.”

Speaking during an interview broadcast live online with the Beirut Institute think tank, Salih called for international cooperation to solve regional conflicts.

The president also addressed the problems of al-Hol camp, saying it housed many foreign fighters, and Iraq alone couldn't deal with the issue, urging international cooperation on the matter.

Salih also pointed out that the protest movement that swept Iraq in 2019 had an important goal as Iraqi youth took to the streets demanding reforms. He stressed that getting out of the decades of conflict required political will and a decision from the Iraqis themselves.

Iraq faces many regional challenges, said Salih, noting that his country is trying to bring the opposing parties together.

Salih also stated that most Iraqis want to move forward with the help of regional partners and friends to build a prosperous country.

“We do not want Iraq to turn into an area for conflicts," asserted the President.

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Lebanese President Faces Domestic, Foreign Challenges

Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
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Lebanese President Faces Domestic, Foreign Challenges

Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS

The election of a new president in Lebanon does not mean the country has come out of the economic and political crises which have gutted it for years. Yet Thursday’s vote marks the beginning of a new phase that carries many challenges for the president and the upcoming government.

It is Joseph Aoun’s responsibility now to appoint a prime minister following binding parliamentary consultations and then form the Cabinet together with the PM.

According to observers, Aoun’s term should carry a roadmap to salvage the country, and a clear plan to address crises and domestic and foreign challenges.

However, there is no magic wand to solve Lebanon’s entire crises.

Instead, Aoun needs a unified working team that should draft a clear ministerial statement that reflects the President’s inaugural speech and his pledge of a “new era” for Lebanon.

“The president's speech constitutes a detailed program for governance. However, his program needs a cabinet capable of implementing it,” former Minister Ibrahim Najjar told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Najjar described the new President as an honest, clean and courageous Lebanese man.

“His election must be followed by the formation of a bold cabinet with new faces, capable of working and making achievements,” he said.

“The Lebanese people expect President Aoun to change the quota-based mentality of politicians. They hope his term will help remove old political figures, who are rooted in the Lebanese quagmire,” the former minister noted.

Former MP Fares Souaid told Asharq Al-Awsat that Aoun’s first task is to implement the Constitution and the National Accord document.

“In the early 1990s, the Constitution was no longer being implemented due to the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. In 2005, the Constitution was again ignored because of Iranian arms.”

Therefore, Soueid said, the Lebanese eagerly expect this new era to constitute a real opportunity for the implementation of both documents.

For years, Lebanon has failed to properly implement its Constitution and UN resolutions, mainly because some political parties had considered their implementation as “a target against their so-called resistance.”

“With the election of President Joseph Aoun, Lebanon has opened a blank page that could meet the aspirations of the Lebanese people, and write a new chapter in the country’s history,” Najjar said.

According to Soueid, Aoun has a task to return Lebanon to its Arab identity. “This is slowly beginning to show through the decline of Iranian influence in the region,” he said.

Also, Soueid said, the new President should mend Lebanon’s relations with the international community by implementing all UN resolutions.

Addressing Parliament and Lebanese people with an acceptance speech, Aoun on Thursday vowed that the Lebanese authorities will have the monopoly on arms and will be committed to a strong state that will extend its sovereignty over the entire territory.

“This is in line with UN resolutions, which if implemented, will bring Lebanon back to the Arab and international scene,” Soueid said.