UNIPATH STAFF
Iraqi Minister of Defense Khaled al-Obeidi recently spoke to the Iraqi Ground Forces. The following is his powerful speech that exemplifies the enormous responsibility the military holds in bringing security and stability to the people of Iraq:
“My sons and brothers in the Iraqi military: You are the focal point, and anything that happens, good or bad, will be accounted for by the military. The military is the dignity of the nation. The strength of the military is the strength of the nation; therefore, Iraqi citizens have the right to criticize the military when security is breached or the military shows weakness. This is because Iraqi citizens have tremendous trust in you. The stakes are very high, and the responsibility of the military is great.
We are launching large and important military operations to take back our cities from the terrorists. These operations require total capability and readiness to combat these ruthless terrorists. The primary, true and most important weapon in this battle is training and courage on the battlefield. We identified what went wrong in Anbar, and we have built a large force with advanced weapons for the upcoming battle. We rely on great people, genuine people, people who paid a huge price for their sovereignty. I doubt there is a person in the world that has the patience and persistence of Iraqis.
Iraqis want two things from the military — security and stability. This is the simplest demand that depends solely on the performance of the military. He who aims to discredit the Iraqi military is wrong. Perhaps the military could perform weakly in a specific scenario, but a 90-year-old military will never die. It will regain its strength and integrity and will break the back of the terrorists and restore security and stability. Hostile media spin regarding sectarianism inside the Iraqi military are worthless rumors that have no truth and never existed in the Iraqi Armed Forces vocabulary. We use critical measures to evaluate a leader: first integrity, qualifications and courage. A leader must be courageous, honest and qualified so he can set an example for his unit. And his total allegiance must be only to Iraq. That is fundamental and critical in the process of selecting a leader. The Iraqi people look at you and have faith in you. The performance of the military plays an important role in the unity and strength of the people. Iraqis have faith in you — don’t let this faith be diminished; this is a tremendous responsibility. When the battle starts, I ask you to stand up and fight the terrorists face to face. Don’t turn your back to them, because you are carrying the faith of a nation. Turning your back will get you nothing but shame and humiliation, and holding your post will earn you glory. Thank you for your bravery, and I pray that God will preserve you as great assets for Iraq.”
The Code of Conduct of the Iraqi Soldier
- I am an Iraqi Soldier.
- I am a fighter and an effective member of the unit and the military.
- I serve the people of Iraq and live up to my principles.
- I never stop or withdraw from my duty.
- I am strong and have a clear mind.
- I am honest with my people and my brothers in the Armed Forces.
- I have integrity and don’t accept bribes.
- I am disciplined to protect my weapon.
- I am the defender of the lives and freedom of Iraqi people.
- I am an Iraqi Soldier.