Iraqi parliament to pass compulsory military service law

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Security and Defense Committee of the Iraqi Parliament on Wednesday held the first reading of the Compulsory Military Service law, known as the ‘Flag Service.’

“We had the first reading of the Flag Service law, and I think the parliament will pass the law because it presents many benefits to the Iraqi youth,” Khalid Al-Ubaidi, the Head of the Security and Defense Committee, told Kurdistan 24’s Baghdad correspondent Shivan Jabari.

“Once the parliament passes the law, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense will be committed to implementing the law within two years,” Al-Ubaidi added. “Within those two years, the ministry will have to establish military bases and training facilities in all Iraqi provinces for receiving and training the newly recruited youth.”   

Sagvan Sindi, the Deputy Head of the Security and Defense Committee, told Kurdistan 24’s correspondent that “the committee is working on the draft bill to ensure that every recruited male under this law will receive a monthly salary of at least one million Iraqi Dinars (approximately $700).”

“In Iraq, there are tens of outlawed armed groups that the government has no control over,” Sindi added, “which is why we think passing this law is important.” 

The draft bill was sent to Iraq’s parliament by the Iraqi Council of Ministers during the former parliamentary term and is expected to be passed within the current parliamentary period. 

The law, once passed, will require all Iraqi males, starting at the age of 18, to attend mandatory military service. In the current draft, youth with a bachelor’s degree will serve only one year, and those with a master’s degree will only serve six months. Youth holding a Ph.D. degree will be exempted from the Flag Service.     

The law includes the residents of the Kurdistan Region as well. However, it is unlikely for the law to be welcomed or obeyed by the youth in the Kurdish autonomous region for many reasons. 

Following the first reading of the draft bill, Kurdistan 24’s correspondents interviewed several youths in the Kurdistan Region’s different provinces, including the capital of Erbil - in a vox pop - to assess their reactions to the bill. 

“We are not happy with this decision because Iraq is against us (Kurds); They never do anything good for Kurds; We are happy to become Peshmerga,” said a Kurdish man in his late thirties from Dohuk. “We are happy to serve our Kurdistan, but not the Iraqi government.” 

“This is a wrong decision; Why would we serve in the Iraqi army?” a Kurdish man in his forties from the Dohuk province said. “If we decide to serve in the military, we will do it for Peshmerga, not the Iraqi army.”

“If this law is passed, no Kurd will respond to it. We don’t even like to live in Iraq, never mind serving in its army!” said another young man from Dohuk. “The Iraqi people are good in general, but the government is terrible.” 

"If serving in Peshmerga units becomes obligatory, we are ready to participate,” he added. 

“We are not ready to send our children to serve in the Iraqi army,” an older man from Dohuk said. “In fact, Kurdistan needs to legislate a law to make service in Peshmerga obligatory - at that time, we will send our children to join.”

“I’m ready to serve in the Peshmerga whenever needed, but I’m not prepared to serve in the Iraqi army,” said a young Kurdish man. “It makes me feel bad to serve in the Iraqi army.” 

“Historically, the Iraqi Arabic army has oppressed the Kurds. It has committed crimes against us, and now we are to serve in such an army?” said a young Kurdish man from Erbil. “That would be a big contradiction! This army used chemical attacks and committed many other atrocities against Kurds, and now they want us to join the army? That’s impossible!”

“No decision can be forced on us against our wishes,” said a young Kurdish man from Erbil. “The Iraqis are free to join their army, but for us (the Kurds), we will only respond to a Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) call for joining the Peshmerga.”

Compulsory military service was in effect under the Baathist Regime. During that time, millions of Iraqis were enlisted for the eight-year war against Iran, and then later against the US-led coalition for liberating Kuwait. However, after the UN Security Council’s no-fly zone for the Kurdistan Region was implemented in 1991, residents of the Kurdistan Region were exempted from compulsory military service.

Since the US-led global coalition toppled Saddam in 2003, Iraq has not had a compulsory military service law. Serving in the Iraqi army is currently a voluntary job with a monthly salary.  

Additional reporting by Kurdistan 24's correspondent in Baghdad, Shivan Jabari.