Dheyaa Alwakeel
The Iraq political backstage witness massive movements and announced and secret meetings aiming to reach an agreement among the political society about the candidate for the defense minister position. News says that it is still under discussion, we know that as some parties presented their candidate while others postponed it waiting more negotiations. The political conflict seems to be at the heat about this critical position that become available after the dismissal of the former minister Khaled Al-Obaidi after the parliamentary questioning and the corruption charges he was accused of.
What caught my eyes is the name of Staff Officer Major General Hisham Al-Darraji in one of the candidate list for the defense minister position. That news spreads optimism in the air, as it brings hope of the existence of growing awareness and political opinion that started to realize the need of the technocrat to fill the critical sovereign positions like the defense ministry, especially as Iraq faces big challenges on military and security levels and fights a fierce war against ISIS and terrorism.
Staff Officer Major General Hisham Al-Darraji.
It’s fare to say that besides the rare qualities that this honest military leader has, he also fits the terms of efficiency and competence as he is an independent professional officer, and he ascended through the military ranks according to the legal terms. As far as I know he has solid military and civilian certificates and the Staff Officer badge, he graduated from the national defense school and worked in several civilian positions in the defense ministry after 2003 of which chief of staff of the land forces, and the commander of military movements. He was nominated to be the defense minister in the late parliamentary session but the crippled political equations stood in the way and later on the corrupt excluded hem because he Chirp out of their suspicious tune.
I am not promoting this military person who is known for his discipline, professionalism, and integrity. Mr. Al-Darraji is in no need for marketing propaganda, but I know – by necessity and responsibility – the Iraqi military organization’s need of those leaders how believe in Iraq, jealous about the military, and keen about innovating advanced methods and techniques to face terrorism and defend the country. It’s not important that the nomination would come from big political factions – which is normal – but the important thing is that the candidate will be not on any side but Iraq. This is a word of truth we say for the history to be, and a statement free from interests and politics, and doesn’t want anything but to fly through our sweet country’s space. This is an opportunity for mister prime minister the general commander of the armed forces to make the changes that go with the path and conditions of reforming and fighting corruption and rebuild the armed forces and the Iraqi army according to the national and professional standards so as to overcome the past fallouts and reinforce the efficiency and qualities of the military organization and its defense tasks appointed to it by the Constitution.
