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An SOS plea from Iraq’s Salim al-Jabouri

I was really not that aware of the risky situation in terror-plagued Iraq until after attending a recent news conference by Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri here in Amman. The Islamist Sunni politician expressed distress about the quick advancements of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) into his country. There was unmistakable dismay […]

Raed Omari writes for Al Arabiya:

I was really not that aware of the risky situation in terror-plagued Iraq until after attending a recent news conference by Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri here in Amman. The Islamist Sunni politician expressed distress about the quick advancements of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) into his country. There was unmistakable dismay in his statements over the inadequate support Iraq was receiving from neighbors and friends in its war against ISIS and radicalism. Jabouri, indeed, frightened us journalists when he warned with confidence that terror would reach all Iraq’s neighbors if ISIS was not defeated in his “always-at-war” country. Diplomatic euphemisms aside, such feelings were not difficult to establish from Jabouri’s brief statements and answers to journalists.

That his country is unable to fight ISIS alone, Jabouri said he had requested Jordan offer Iraq assistance in its war efforts against terror. During a joint presser with Jordanian Lower House Speaker Atef al-Tarawneh, Jabouri said: "We look forward for a Jordanian role in empowering the Iraqi institutions to counter terrorism and radicalism.” He also expressed hope that Jordan would contribute to training the Iraqi security forces battling terrorism. Meeting also with Jordan’s King Abdullah and Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, Jabouri also asked for the kingdom’s help in Iraq’s anti-ISIS war, emphasizing that the entire region would be immune to radicalism once terrorists – meaning ISIS – were defeated in Iraq.