US President Donald Trump’s new envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya has outlined the nature of his mission, stirring controversy and debate in the country as it gears up to hold parliamentary elections on November 11.
In a statement on the X platform, he underscored the need for Iraq to rid itself of armed factions that operate outside the state.
“The United States Government has made it clear that there is no place for armed groups operating outside the authority of the state. Iraq’s stability and prosperity depend on having unified security forces under the command of a single government and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, united under one flag that represents all Iraqis. Without this unity, Iraq’s sovereignty and progress will remain at risk,” he warned.
“The interests of the Iraqi people and of the wider region depend on a fully sovereign Iraq, free from malign external interference, including from Iran and its proxies, and committed to serving its citizens and living in peace with its neighbors,” he added.
“In this context, unity and cooperation between Iraq’s federal and regional authorities are essential to ensuring lasting security, economic growth, and national cohesion,” he went on to say.
“Iraq is a pivotal country in the region and must play its natural role in promoting regional peace, security, and stability. Iraq must not return to the past or adopt approaches that hinder progress and unity,” Savaya said.
“Over the past three years, Iraq’s leadership has taken important steps to guide the country in the right direction, both politically and economically. Iraq has begun to reemerge as a sovereign state, working to reduce external influences, bring all weapons under the control of the legitimate government, and open its markets to international companies to help rebuild and develop the country’s fragile infrastructure. However, the work is not yet complete, and Iraq still requires continued support to remain on this path,” he stated.
“It is my mission, on behalf of President Trump, to engage with Iraq and support its continued pursuit of stability, sovereignty, and prosperity,” stressed the envoy.
“Iraq remains of great importance to both the region and the United States. It will continue to stand as one of America’s strongest and most valued partners, and I am committed to further strengthening this relationship as I assume this honorable role as Envoy.”
Savaya’s statement has only fueled tensions in Iraq as it braces for parliamentary elections that observers have described as the most critical since 2005 even though little has changed in the country in the past 20 years in terms of its political, sectarian and ethnic divisions.
An independent Iraqi politician told Asharq Al-Awsat that the envoy’s appointment has “reshuffled he cards in Iraq, especially among the Shiites that are severely divided over their stance towards Washington.”
“The Shiite division reflects the ruling class’s failure in determining the nature of the state after five parliamentary elections. We are headed towards the sixth and most complex poll,” he added.
The Sadrist movement of influential cleric Moqtada al-Sadr did not comment on Savaya’s statement. The cleric is boycotting the elections.
The ruling pro-Iran Shiite Coordination Council appears to be at a loss in how to deal with the new American policy towards Iraq.
The Kurdish and Sunni components, however, were more welcoming of Savaya’s statement and new American stances.
The Kurds believe that Washington is a main backer when it comes to oil and investment issues in Iraq, while the Sunnis believe that the US administration’s hard line against Iran and its allied factions in Iraq falls in their political favor.
