There were two reports that various Hashd factions were forming a list
to run in the 2018 elections. The new group might be called the Mujahedeen Alliance
and consist of Badr, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, Harakat al-Nujaba, Kataib Hezbollah,
Saraya Khorasani, Imam Ali Brigades, and several others, along with Sunni
tribal forces from western Iraq. Former spokesman for the Hashd Ahmed al-Asadi
recently resigned that position so he can reportedly join this list. Hadi Amiri
of Badr might be the leader of the group, and throw in his hat for the
premiership. He hinted at this alliance as far back as June. Badr was part of State of Law
during the last elections in 2014, but recently announced that would be forming
its own coalition. (1) The Hashd are widely popular for their fighting and
sacrifices in the war against the Islamic State. It’s been widely expected that they would try to turn their prowess on the
battlefield into victory at the ballot box. As the war progressed, several
Sunni Hashd were also formed with many aligned with Shiite ones because of the
weapons and funds that came along with it. That explains why some might be
willing to run together with units that are aligned with Iran.
This came after Prime Minister Haidar Abadi repeatedly said that the Hashd could not run in the elections because they were armed
and are officially part of the security forces. Of course, political parties
with armed wings have always participated in Iraq’s voting, which
opened the door for the Hashd. Abadi’s statements then,
were more part of his positioning against the pro-Iran groups, which are
nominally under his control as commander and chief, but who he has had a
running feud with. He has increasingly tried to sideline the Tehran backed
factions from major operations and put the Counter Terrorism Service, army and
police in the lead to try to increase the standing of the armed forces and his
government.
For now, many questions remain about this proposed grouping. Will it be
able to bring in Sunni Hashd units? Will it be competing with Abadi for votes
or actually with Nouri al-Maliki who has thrown in with Iran? Will this list
align with Maliki since they have backed each other politically during the war,
and there are reports that Maliki might leave Dawa to run separately next year? How much
money and backing will it get from Tehran, or will it continue to play the
field backing various political parties to make sure it has influence across
the spectrum? These issues and more will have to be watched and discussed in
the coming months.
FOOTNOTES
1. Al Forat, “Amiri: Badr will run independent of State of Law in the
next election and nominated candidate for presidency of the National Alliance,”
11/27/17
SOURCES
Al Aalem, “Dawa Party…A moment of historical split,”
11/29/17
Buratha News, “Hadi al-Amiri head of Alliance of Mujahedeen, consisting
of eight factions of the crowd and excludes al-Maliki,” 11/30/17
Al Forat, “Amiri: Badr will run independent of State of Law in the next
election and nominated candidate for presidency of the National Alliance,”
11/27/17
Hussein, Rikar, “Iran-backed Shi’ite Groups Seek
Institutionalized Role in Post-IS Iraq,” Voice of America, 11/3/17
Iraq News Network, “Al-Amiri: All participants in the political process
have militias and are not in conflict with the parties law,” 6/6/17
- “Maliki’s coalition: the popular crowd will participate in the
elections under the title Alliance of the Mujahedeen,” 11/29/17
Al Mada, “An amendment to the election law prevents the crowd from
running and is included in special vote,” 5/25/17
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