Between the Military and Politics: Where Does Major General Yahya Rasool’s Right to Expression Stand?

A . Kathim Al-Ta’e / Nor

The right to political expression is among the most prominent manifestations of public freedoms in democratic systems. However, this right is subject to restrictions and regulations when it concerns military personnel, due to the nature of their work and the sensitivity of their positions within state institutions. The scope of this right varies from one country to another, depending on the prevailing political systems, constitutions, and military laws. In the Iraqi context, the issue of political statements by military figures emerges as a complex matter where legal considerations intersect with the country’s political and social realities.

1. The Legal and Political Framework of Military Statements
Most military laws around the world stipulate that military personnel must maintain political neutrality, especially regarding internal and external issues that could impact state stability or the image of the military institution. This neutrality aims to protect the military from politicization and to ensure its loyalty to the state rather than to individuals or factions.
In Iraq, under current laws and regulations, military

personnel are expected to maintain absolute neutrality and refrain from making public political statements, particularly those that may be interpreted as favoritism or defamation of domestic or international actors.

2. The Challenge of Iraq’s Democratic Reality
Despite relative progress in Iraq’s democratic path, democratic practice still suffers from significant distortions. Democracy, as a system of behavior and institutions, has yet to take root in Iraq’s social and political fabric due to historical accumulations, weak institutional culture, and the dominance of factional interests over the public good.
This reality negatively affects the handling of issues such as freedom of expression for military personnel, which is often approached through a narrow political lens rather than a transparent institutional and legal framework.

3. The Case of Major General Yahya Rasool as an Example
In this context, the case of Major General Yahya Rasool stands out. He was removed from his position following a media statement in which he referred to one of the leaders of terrorist organizations as a “criminal and terrorist.” This statement aligns with the moral and national sentiment shared by many Iraqis who have suffered from terrorism.
However, instead of supporting this stance, it was treated as a breach of military responsibilities,

leading to his dismissal by official decree. This decision raised many questions about the standards used to hold military officials accountable and about the nature of the relationship between politics and the military institution in Iraq.

4. The Crisis of Standards and the Politicization of Institutions
The issue lies not only in the statement itself but also in the absence of clear and balanced standards governing such cases. The media, which is supposed to serve as a watchdog and a source of awareness, suffers from deep divisions and political instrumentalization, contributing to the exaggeration or distortion of statements.
Meanwhile, military institutions sometimes display a lack of professionalism and neutrality training for their personnel, making them vulnerable to political pressures and prone to decisions that may be seen as appeasement to internal or external parties at the expense of competence and patriotic stances.

5. A Call for Societal and Institutional Dialogue
It is the duty of intellectuals, writers, and politicians who truly believe in a national project to shed light on such issues—not to defend individuals, but to critique the institutional structure and decision-making mechanisms.
Such cases should become part of public

discourse that contributes to building a sound political and institutional awareness and reinforces respect for rights and freedoms within legal frameworks.
Furthermore, these matters should be highlighted in international forums using legal and professional language, making them part of global assessments of good governance and human rights indicators in Iraq.

In Conclusion
The case of Major General Yahya Rasool is not an isolated incident; it reflects the political and administrative reality in Iraq. It is a direct call to reconsider the concept of political neutrality within the military institution—without undermining the freedom of expression, which lies at the heart of democratic values. The goal is not to silence military personnel, but to regulate their discourse in a way that serves the state and does not strip the citizen in uniform of his humanity or his right to opinion.