Iraq rejected the US equation that the Iraqi resistance factions are like Taliban, Official says

Shafaq News/ Two Iraqi ministers said that the "erroneous" formation of the Iraqi army " is the main reason why ISIS was able to occupy a third of the area of Iraq.

On Monday, Defense Minister Juma Inad said, in a speech during the Al-Rafidain Forum for Dialogue, that "the formation of the Army after 2003 was not correct; therefore, it was not able to eliminate al-Qaeda or ISIS that occupied the third of Iraq's area."

He pointed out that "political interference in the military establishment is minimal, and since I assumed my position as the Minister of Defense, I have not been subjected to any political pressure, whether by transferring, assigning, or appointing officers and commanders."

Inad added, "We are the ones who brought the Americans to topple Saddam's regime, and when America assists any country, it is not easy to withdraw," noting that "an agreement was made with Turkey to form a joint center in northern Iraq."

In his turn, Minister of Interior Othman Al-Ghanmi stressed, in his speech during the forum, that "the file of uncontrolled weapons is a difficult file that emerged after the fall of the regime."

Concerning the elections, he said, "We assure all political blocs that the security forces will stand close to everyone."

In addition, National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji said, in his speech, that "the Iraqi Government asked the Global Coalition to provide air support and train Iraqi forces."

He added, "The assessment of the Coalition confirmed that the Iraqi forces, including the defense, the interior, the anti-terrorist forces, the Peshmerga, and the Popular Mobilization Forces, can defeat ISIS."

Al-Araji warned that Iraq "needs military advisers and trainers. As for soldiers and combat forces, we will witness at the end of this year the last soldier leaving Iraqi territory after the agreement with Washington."

He declared an "agreement with the Italian police to train the Iraqi police," noting that "NATO is not a combat force, but rather a training and advisory force."

Al-Araji concluded, "The US administration described the Iraqi resistance factions as Taliban, and we rejected that and told the US that the factions reject the presence of the US and foreign forces on Iraqi land."