By Mustafa Al-Kadhimi
Three days in Iraq’s history carried the weight of decades of pain, transformation and sacrifice: June 10, June 12 and June 13.
On June 10, Mosul fell into the hands of one of the most brutal and obscurantist terrorist organizations in modern history. With its fall, vast lands of the homeland came under the grip of murder, hatred and extremism.
On June 12, the Speicher massacre was perpetrated, along with other atrocities and acts of genocide that will forever stand as painful testimony to the savagery of terrorism and the immense losses suffered by Iraq and its people.
Then came June 13, a defining turning point in the nation’s history, marked by the issuance of the fatwa of the sufficient jihad by The Supreme Religious Authority, calling on citizens to volunteer and join the ranks of the security forces in defense of the homeland, its people and its state at a moment of profound existential danger.
Those three days revealed the fragility of the state when its institutions are weakened and the dangers of division when it is allowed to eclipse a unifying national identity. Yet they also demonstrated the capacity of Iraqis to rise above adversity whenever they unite in purpose and place the interests of the nation above all else.
The lessons of that period are not confined to what occurred within Iraq’s borders. They also underscore the need to understand the major regional and international transformations that continue to reshape balances of power and redefine concepts of security, economics and sovereignty. History does not wait for the hesitant, and nations that fail to comprehend changing realities and the movement of the world inevitably find themselves in the position of being influenced rather than influencing. Building a modern state therefore requires a strategic vision capable of anticipating the future, managing national interests wisely, and consolidating Iraq’s role as a bridge for cooperation and stability rather than an arena for conflict and the settling of scores.
After all these years, a courageous and responsible national review of what transpired remains essential. Such a review should not be aimed at political targeting or the exchange of accusations, but at drawing lessons and understanding the factors that led to the erosion of trust between the state and society, the predominance of narrower loyalties over a shared national identity, and the embrace of narratives of intolerance and hatred instead of the values of tolerance and compassion championed by faith and upheld by universal moral and human principles.
Iraqis took up arms in that extraordinary moment to defend their homeland and their very existence. Yet the building of states can only endure when the possession of arms is confined to the state, in accordance with the constitution and the law, in a manner that safeguards the immense sacrifices made for Iraq and protects the blood of the martyrs from political exploitation or societal division.
True fidelity to the guidance of The Supreme Religious Authority also requires adherence to its spirit and lofty national purpose. It must not be exploited for narrow interests, burdened with the failures of implementation, or employed outside the context in which it was intended—namely, the protection of Iraq, its people and its state.
Remembering these days is not merely an act of recalling pain. It is a call to renew our commitment to building a just and capable state—one that does not discriminate among its citizens, safeguards its sovereignty and institutions, and strengthens a shared national identity in which Iraq stands above all other considerations.
Iraq has never been the homeland of a single sect, ethnicity or community. It is a homeland spacious enough for all, drawing its strength from its diversity and its resilience from the unity of its people. Nations are not protected by geography alone; they are protected by the state, preserved through justice and united by a common national identity.
Our enduring slogan, in which we believe and to which we remain steadfastly committed, will always be: Iraq comes First.
Former Prime Minister of Iraq