Kingdom ‘offers to train Iraqi elite forces’ — Allawi

DEAD SEA — Jordan has shown its full support for Iraq, its government and people amidst the difficult situation Iraq is undergoing in fighting terrorism, a senior Iraqi official said on Friday. 

Iraqi Vice President Iyad Allawi said Jordan offered Iraq to have its special forces trained in Jordan, adding that the suggestion is under consideration. 

“Jordan has shown its willingness to train all the military sectors, including Iraqi pilots. We have received a similar offer from other countries including Egypt,” he told reporters on the sideline of the World Economic Forum (WEF) that is currently being held at the Dead Sea. 

He noted that what is happening in Ramadi is not positive, expressing hope that they would win the war against the Daesh terror group. 

“You lose some battles but you have to win the war ultimately,” he added.

Allawi said that despite the grave situation, “Daesh will not have the chance to go in Baghdad”, which is around 100km from Ramadi, which is totally under its control.  

He noted that Ramadi residents and armed forces in Ramadi called for receiving munitions and to be part of military performances against Daesh. 

“I personally received demands from the Iraqi armed forces in Ramadi asking for munitions but they have not received these assistances,” he added.

He noted that the danger against Iraq is not only related to Iraq, but also to the region. 

“The government has to come up with a workable strategy to overcome Daesh militarily,” Allawi added.  

For Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Saleh Al Mutlaq, the US-led coalition needs to change its strategy in the fight against Daesh after the sudden fall of Ramadi to the hands of the militant group. 

Air raids are not enough. The coalition’s current strategy needs to be changed to succeed in uprooting this group, Mutlaq said in an interview with The Jordan Times on the sidelines of WEF.

“The fall of Anbar would mean a serious security threat not only to Iraq but also to the neighbouring countries and the entire region… We need more support and our forces will focus on liberating the city from Daesh,” the Iraqi official said during the interview.

Iraq welcomes greater Jordanian role in the fight against Daesh, he said.

“Jordan enjoys good military capabilities that are crucial in the fight against Daesh… Jordan can play a larger role in this fight especially after the fall of Ramadi,” said Mutlaq.

“Daesh is close to the Jordanian border, which raises the level of threat. Jordan’s intervention against the terrorist group will help put an end to their presence,” said the Iraqi official.

 “Iraq cannot carry out the mission alone. It needs the support of Arabs to uproot Daesh,” said the official.

One major reason behind the fall of Ramadi was the absence of “unified and coherent” leadership for the forces fighting the terrorist group, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim Jabouri said on Friday.

The Arab Sunnis of Ramadi were not to blame for the fall of their vast province to Daesh, Jabouri said, attributing the reason to the absence of unified command for the Iraqi army, Hashd Al Shaabi (popular mobilisation units) and back-up militia fighting the radical organisation.

Jabouri’s remarks also came during his participation in WEF meeting.

Jabouri, an Islamist Sunni politician, explained that the Arab Sunnis have changed their view of Daesh as a “saviour” from the marginalisation policies exercised against them, adding that Daesh for the long-marginalised Sunnis now is a real threat.

“When Mosul fell to Daesh [in June last year], the Arab Sunnis there saw in the armed militia a rescuer from the marginalisation and injustice exercised against them,” Jabouri said.

He also said that the Iraqi Sunnis have managed to face Daesh but have been faced with several challenges related to weaponry, training and money.

Daesh controls the strongholds of the Sunnis and cannot be liberated without the Sunnis themselves, Jabouri added.

“But they should be given guarantees that the regions retaken from Daesh will be in better condition than when under the control of the terrorist group.”