Iraq security chief says federalism key to peace

By Michael Georgy

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s national security adviser warned
on Friday the country would gradually descend into civil war if
federalism was not firmly entrenched in its constitution.

“Without federalism it means that no community interest has
been addressed or fulfilled and therefore different communities
will try to find and defend and fight for their rights,”
Mowaffaq al-Rubaie told Reuters in an interview.

“I am worried about that. Yes. Absolutely. With a civil war
you can’t say ‘today we don’t have a civil war, tomorrow a
civil war erupted’. Civil war creeps into the country very
gradually.”

Iraqi politicians are trying to finish a draft constitution
to present to parliament before an extended August 22 deadline.

Federalism is a major hurdle to a deal. Kurds want to
expand autonomy in their de facto state in the north, some
Shi’ites are pushing for their own region in the south and Arab
Sunnis insist only a strong central government can keep Iraq
together.

“Federalism is very good for the Sunnis as well. Just
imagine we have three provinces in the (Sunni region) triangle
coming together in one region and that region enjoys all the
rights of Kurdistan for example,” said Rubaie.

“It is a federal system we are after and I think this is
the only insurance policy for the unity of Iraq.”

Facing relentless violence that has raised concerns of
wider sectarian conflict, Iraqi leaders hope the constitution
will advance the political process and defuse a Sunni
insurgency.

Iraqi officials say Arab Sunnis inspired by al Qaeda carry
out spectacular suicide bombings against Shi’ites in a bid to
spark such a civil war.

Rubaie said Iraqi security forces have dramatically
improved and he predicted their performance would allow 30,000
U.S.-led foreign troops to withdraw by the middle of next year.

“More and more over the next few months Iraqis (forces)
will be at the lead and the multinational forces will be behind
them. They are proving themselves,” he said.

SEEKING BETTER INTELLIGENCE

But Rubaie said gathering intelligence was the only way to
defeat insurgents. He said Iraq’s four intelligence agencies
were now sharing more information on guerrillas.

He said one intelligence agency knew of plans for a suicide
bombing in the southern town of Musayyib last month but did not
pass on the information to the Interior Ministry. The blast
killed 98 people.

Barely able to protect themselves against attacks that have
killed hundreds of their comrades, Iraqi security forces face
the daunting challenge of shielding Iraqis against an
insurgency that shows no signs of easing.

About 150 Islamic militants from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt
and Algeria cross the Syrian border into Iraq every month to
carry out attacks, Rubaie said.

As Iraqi security forces take on more raids on their own
they risk alienating Iraqis who often accuse them of
heavy-handed practices.

Residents of the Amiriya district of Baghdad on Thursday
accused U.S. and Iraqis forces of killing three innocent
middle-aged brothers, one of them in a wheelchair. The U.S.
military said they killed three terrorists.

“Even if you see somebody in a wheelchair it does not mean
that person is not strapped by a vest that is going to explode
and become a suicide bomber,” said Rubaie.

“We certainly need to tighten the measures on monitoring
human rights standards. (But) to be quite honest with you, this
is one of the hindrances in combating terrorism in this
country. Because we are building democracy…in our operations
this is hindering us and making us less efficient.”

SISTANI ‘INSURANCE’ AGAINST WAR

Rubaie said Iraqi authorities had a detailed plan to reduce
violence by 50 percent by the end of this year. But he gave no
details on how they plan to end the daily carnage.

Rubaie, who has a Sunni mother and Shi’ite father, left
Saddam Hussein’s Iraq to practice neurology in Britain.

Recalling his torture in Saddam’s jails, Rubaie said he
hoped the political process and better security forces would
stabilize Iraq. But he looks to a top Shi’ite cleric to keep
peace.

Reclusive Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani’s calls for
moderation have contained Iraqi fury throughout more than two
years of bombings, assassinations and kidnappings.

“We need to keep Grand Ayatollah Sistani alive. We need to
protect him, give him extra protection. He is the insurance
policy against civil war,” said Rubaie.