Iraqi Politician Mithal Alusi: Iraq Should Not Prevent ISIS Cell from Striking in Saudi Arabia

In an Iraqi TV interview, former MP Mithal Alusi slammed Saudi Arabia, claiming that it was interfering in Iraqi affairs and saying that when Saudi Arabia becomes a democracy, it could pass judgment on Iraq. Alusi called on the Iraqi government not to prevent ISIS cells from striking in Saudi territory. The interview aired on Biladi TV on May 3, 2015.

Following are excerpts:

Mithal Alusi: When Mahdi Al-Gharawi was the military commander of Mosul – was there a single reasonable person in Iraq who did not know that Al-Gharawi was extorting the citizens? Or that Al-Gharawi was operating a Mafia gang in Mosul? Was there a single Iraqi – including Nuri Al-Maliki – who did not know that ISIS had been present in Mosul for two or three years, or that ISIS was collecting monthly taxes, giving the citizens receipts signed "the Islamic State"?

Didn't the interior minister or Nuri Al-Maliki know that the Baiji-Haditha electricity line was down for three years?! The great lie of Baghdad enabled ISIS to get out of control, and to become strong in those areas. This coincided with the evil and the moral depravity which had used religion in the western areas, along with the big money coming from Saudi Arabia.

Therefore, as I have said before and I say again to my dear government, of which I am not a party: Whatever possessed you to strike an ISIS cell that reached the Saudi border? Let them go to Saudi Arabia. Let the whole world hear this. Let ISIS return to its roots in Saudi Arabia. Let the Saudi chicken come home to roost.

[…]

Interviewer: Do you think that Saudi Arabia is preoccupied with Iraq to such an extent? Do you really think that it feels it must send terrorism into Iraq?

Mithal Alusi: You are being too harsh on them.

Interviewer: No, I am not. The Saud clan never wished anything good for Iraq.

[…]

Mithal Alusi: [The Saudi foreign minister] said that the Al-Hashd group are Iranians. How is this your business?! You do not know what democracy or moral values are. You have betrayed our relations, violated agreements. There is an oil pipeline from Iraq to Saudi Arabia, be we cannot use it, because they do not want to show that Iraqi oil exports have risen. You have betrayed Iraq in everything. I have the right to say what I say. If I represent the Iraqi people…

Interviewer: But Sunni Iraqi politicians have also expressed these fears. Athil Nujeifi, the governor of Nineveh Province, said: "We don't want the Al-Hashd militia here." They say that this is Iranian interference, and so on. The Saudis don't just say things. They have support within Iraq.

Mithal Alusi: No, no, no. Any Iraqi has the right to say whatever he wants. Any Iraqi has the right to oppose what I say. He has the right to speak his mind. This is why we have free press. However, no Saudi has the right to interfere in our matters. This is why I said we should let ISIS go to Saudi Arabia. They have no right to speak on behalf of the Iraqi government, the Iraqi state, or the Iraqi [religious] authorities. They have no right. They have no right to speak on behalf of the Iraqi parliament. I – not the Saud clan – am entitled to speak on behalf of the Iraqi parliament and voters. When there is legitimate rule in Saudi Arabia, when his Royal Highness, the king, wins free elections, and a government is formed as a result of a compromise, following a political battle of one, two, or three months – then he will be allowed to talk. But a non-democracy does not have the right to talk about us.

Interviewer: The Saudis are bothered by our democracy?

Mithal Alusi: Excuse me?

Interviewer: Saudi Arabia is bothered by the democracy of Iraq?

Mithal Alusi: It is terrified.

[…]