Iraqi spy chief Mustafa Al Kadhimi could be a contender for prime ministerial role
Various names are circulating in the Iraqi news media and political circles about who could become the next prime minister as the political crisis continues.
One name that has recently caught the attention of Iraqis is Mustafa Al Kadhimi, the director of Iraq’s National Intelligence Service.
A representative of the Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr said last week there were three possible candidates for the prime ministerial post, among them Mr Al Kadhimi.
Mohammed Al Iraqi, who is known to be close to Mr Al Sadr, suggested Mr Al Kadhimi, Judge Rahim Al Aqili, the former head of Iraq’s anti-corruption committee, and MP Faiq Al Sheikh Ali as probable contenders.
Since taking up the position of director of the National Intelligence Service in June 2016, Mr Al Kadhimi has kept a low profile. He was a surprise choice to lead the intelligence service, with a background in journalism and advocacy.
He has overseen Iraq’s intelligence efforts on the domestic and foreign fronts. His directorate was instrumental in the fight against ISIS and dislodging it from key Iraqi territories, and was recently in the spotlight for its role in the killing of Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS.
Mr Al Kadhimi has good relations with the US and regional powers, in addition to strong ties with many political players in Iraq, because he was active among the Iraqi opposition against the regime of Saddam Hussein.
One of the main contributing factors to his possible candidacy for the prime ministerial role is that he is unaffiliated with any political party.
“He has been able to build a balanced relationship away from partisan and sectarian politics, with all of Iraq’s different divisions,” MP Jaber Al Jaberi told The National.
“Al Kadhimi is accepted by most of the political parties in Iraq and has good relations with the region.” But because he is not linked to Iraq’s political elite, Mr Al Kadhimi may not have the power to run the Cabinet, said Hisham Al Hashimi, an Iraqi security adviser to the government.
“Although Al Kadhimi is a veteran politician and bureaucrat, the ruling parties will seek to thwart him through opposition and discrepancy with his decisions,” Mr Al Hashimi told The National. “His popularity is good but not strong enough.”
Mr Al Kadhimi was in exile because of his opposition to Saddam, and from 2003 to 2010 led the Iraq Memory Foundation, which was set up to document the regime’s crimes.
His role at the foundation stemmed from a strong friendship with Kanan Makiya, a well-known opposition figure against Saddam who later discredited the political class that came to rule Iraq after 2003.
Mr Al Kadhimi has also worked as a journalist, and until 2016 wrote widely about the reforms required in Iraq.
Born in Baghdad in 1967, Mr Al Kadhimi has a law degree and has published several books, one of which, Humanitarian Concerns, was selected in 2000 by the European Union as the best book written by a political refugee.