Away from the slogans of the formation of anti-corruption committees that were attached to the mind of the Iraqi citizen, whenever it was launched towards a case, as a gateway to close the file inside the political settlement rooms, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi continues to translate his government program on the ground, in which he focused on this file.
At the end of last month, Al-Kazemi formed a higher committee to investigate major corruption cases and exceptional crimes, with direct support from the Counter-Terrorism Service.
Although some see the arrests campaign that he carried out against some of the symbols of corruption so far, shy because of not being exposed to the leaders of the first row, but the committee did not wait long, until it began arresting a number of senior officials during the past few days, including the head of the Investment Authority in Baghdad, And the former president of the General Retirement Authority, the head of the Agricultural Cooperative Bank, his son, and 4 directors of its branches in the governorates, as well as the director of the Mosul branch for petroleum products, and the official of the "Key Card" financial company responsible for paying the salaries of millions of retirees and employees, in addition to issuing a "travel ban" against the Staff Jamil Al-Shammari for his involvement in killing protesters in the southern province of Dhi Qar.
Al-Hamdan believes that the anti-corruption campaign will not work if it does not include the big heads (Al-Jazeera)
External agendas
The campaign raised several questions about whether it carries external or personal agendas or a specific targeting, especially as its launch and focus on economic centers coincide with an international movement led by America to put an end to the Iranian presence in the Middle East region, which places in its priorities cutting the source of the sustainability of what is known as the Iranian axis in the region. By deciphering the financing network that Tehran runs through its arms, which in Iraq is its strongest link.
In this regard, Abd al-Rahman al-Jubouri, an advisor to the Iraqi prime minister, told Al-Jazeera Net that the evidence leads to accusing people, while the state has its evidence, so there is no selectivity or other motives for the conduct of the anti-corruption campaign except that the state is going through an economic crisis, and with the presence of Corruption, its scarce resources go to the "mafia" and thus it does not find liquidity to be used to sustain the needs of the people.
He added that Al-Kazemi's use of the corruption card against his opponents or to win over the masses is untrue, and if we followed up on his government program, we would find the corruption file among his priorities.
Al-Jubouri did not rule out the possibility that America would benefit from Al-Kazemi's campaign, pointing out at the same time that this is not the goal of the prime minister or his agendas, but rather he is campaigning against corruption for purely national reasons.
For his part, a member of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, Jawad Al-Hamdan, commented on the progress of the campaign, saying that in the event that it is limited to its current rhythm without affecting the heads of active blocs and parties that have caused millions of dollars to be wasted, then it cannot be classified more than selective.
Al-Hamdan called, during his speech to Al-Jazeera Net, to address the major corruption files in the Integrity Committee, with its detailed reports and the committee's recommendations regarding everything related to it.
On the other hand, the spokesman for the Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades, Sheikh Kadhim al-Fartousi, believes that the campaign is not related to the name of al-Kazimi, but to all workers and participants in the political process and their supporters, and is gaining popular approval, so there is no doubt about its patriotism, saying, “We exclude that there are agendas behind it, taking into account the possibility that Al-Kazemi uses them for a promotional purpose, and this will be evident from the campaign results. "
In an interview with Al-Jazeera Net, Sheikh Al-Fartousi said, "The campaign can be described as shy, at the level of the issues raised and the people who were arrested, and it cannot be judged at the present time whether it was directed or not," noting at the same time that if evidence is available against any A person, regardless of his affiliation, whether as it is rumored that the so-called resistance factions or their representatives are behind that corruption, everyone will comply with justice.
Alaa Mostafa ruled out that the campaign has agendas and sees it as a prelude to overthrowing corruption heads (Al-Jazeera)
Green light
In the context, political analyst Alaa Mustafa says that the recent Shiite reference statement issued after the meeting of Ali al-Sistani with the envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General in Iraq, Hennes Blashart, gave al-Kazemi the green light to open the file of corruption and gave him an opportunity to be a leader.
He believes that the campaign is serious and realistic, and according to the size of the capabilities currently available, indicating that the arrest of a general manager or head of a body is not an easy matter, especially since the forces behind them are supporting and benefiting from their presence, so it can be considered a first step to hit the heads of corruption that if Al-Kazemi wants to overthrow them, he must start By the young, who would hand him the strings of the whales adults
Mustafa considered that these steps are a prelude to a broader campaign targeting prominent individuals, and that they are unlikely to be motivated to target certain parties, given that when the judge opens a specific corruption file, he will not look at affiliations but rather evidence.