BAGHDAD / NINA / Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, head of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, has affirmed that ending the International Coalition’s military mission in Iraq represents a pivotal step in a comprehensive national project aimed at completing the foundations of a state capable of safeguarding the independence of its political, security and economic decisions and consolidating its national sovereignty.

In a speech delivered on the occasion of Sovereignty Day, al-Sudani said that national sovereignty could only be fully achieved through independent political, security and economic decision-making. He stressed that this achievement had been made possible by the sacrifices of the Iraqi people and called on political and social forces to compete in building the state and strengthening its institutions.

He explained that sovereignty constitutes an integrated system of strength, legitimacy and capability, reflected in a state’s ability to exercise its independent will, protect its interests, exercise authority over its territory and resources, and manage its foreign relations free from subordination, external tutelage and imposed dictates.

Al-Sudani added that the confrontation undertaken by Iraqis was not merely a war to liberate occupied territories, but also a battle to defend the Iraqi state and its political and social system, as well as the people’s right to security, stability and a free and dignified life. This, he noted, gave the confrontation national and historical significance extending beyond its immediate military objectives.

He paid tribute to the sacrifices made by the Iraqi armed forces, the Popular Mobilization Forces, tribal mobilization forces, the Peshmerga, the Counter-Terrorism Service, federal and local police, and other security formations. He also commemorated Iraq’s martyrs and wounded, noting that religious authority, popular support and political backing provided a moral and social foundation that contributed to the recovery of cities and territories.

Al-Sudani stressed that progress toward ending the International Coalition’s military mission could not be separated from the sacrifices of the martyrs and the resilience of the Iraqi people, nor could it be reduced to a government decision or political negotiations. Major sovereign decisions, he said, are built upon accumulated elements of strength developed by peoples and states over prolonged periods of conflict and nation-building.

He noted that the government had approached the issue of ending the Coalition’s mission as a national sovereign obligation, rather than merely a slogan for political positioning or media grandstanding. Its approach, he added, had been guided by a realistic understanding of international relations and the balance of power.

Al-Sudani emphasized that Iraq seeks to establish balanced and equal relations with other countries, based on respect for its sovereignty and independent decision-making, while advancing its political, economic and security interests.

He further explained that Iraq’s vision of national sovereignty rests on a fundamental principle: sovereignty is indivisible, and completing one of its components does not necessarily mean that it has been fully achieved in every field. A state may enjoy internationally recognized political independence while remaining vulnerable to economic, security or technological dependency. Similarly, it may possess considerable military strength yet suffer from institutional weaknesses that limit its ability to exercise an independent national will.

He stressed that supporting the Iraqi state and its constitutional institutions is a firm national commitment that should unite political and social forces regardless of their differing platforms and positions, as a strong and stable state serves as a common safeguard for all Iraqis.

Al-Sudani added that the strength Iraq seeks is rooted in legitimacy, the rule of law, effective institutions and tangible achievements. A state that loses the trust of its citizens, fails to deliver justice or allows its institutions to become instruments of private interests undermines its most important sources of strength, regardless of its material and military capabilities, he warned.

He concluded by emphasizing that protecting national sovereignty is inseparable from consolidating constitutional legitimacy, combating corruption, reforming public administration, improving institutional efficiency, and ensuring that the state retains the exclusive authority to make military and security decisions and regulate the use of force. All security and military formations and institutions, he stressed, must remain subject to the competent constitutional authorities./ End



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