Dep PM: "I was Mistaken" in Joining Govt

As for how to separate ISIS and other terrorist organizations from the tribes and angered people, this lies in fulfilling the demands of the masses in these provinces. I don't think that [achieving these demands] is difficult or impossible, as they are no more than routine demands, such as putting an end to laws of uprooting and exclusion, and releasing the prisoners who are still languishing in prisons after many years without trial or clear charges.

This is in addition to the legitimate demands that could be in the interest of all of Iraq; their benefits are not limited to a single province. All of this will push these tribes to take serious action toward these organizations and isolate them and force them to leave their regions.

Al-Monitor:  In your bloc, the al-Arabiya Coalition, contradictory voices have emerged regarding a position on Iraqi Kurdistan. Some voices seem extreme in their stance on the region, while others view it from a different angle. How do you view the policies of the Kurdistan Region, especially regarding Kirkuk and the other disputed territories?

Mutlaq:  This situation regarding the relationship with our Kurdish brothers is like that of any Iraqi problem. No one is working on solving it in a serious manner according to the legal and constitutional framework. This has made it grow more complicated day after day, until it reached the point where some are following strange policies that have not reached the level of responsibility.

These include the policies of "stubbornness," shuffling cards or using people's daily livelihoods as a political pressure card. We, for our part, think that any problem can be solved — including the issue of Kirkuk and the disputed areas — if we abandon the personalization of issues, act according to constitutional bases and adopt a spirit of tolerance, stopping bloodshed and not denying the rights of others to live, especially since Kirkuk is an Iraqi city that includes all nationalities and sects. This feature can be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.