A lot of question marks surround the unusual silence of Iraq’s national political parties and civil institutions towards the terrorism that kills innocent people on a daily basis.

Terrorism in Iraq is everywhere. It victimizes innocent Iraqis and policemen while all the country”s civil institutions stand by watching as if these tragic events are happening on another planet. Are Iraqi political forces and civil institutions unable to organize a huge demonstration in Baghdad and other cities to protest this spread of chaos? Such a demonstration would deliver a message at home and abroad that the majority of Iraqis are against terrorism. Isn’t it necessary to send such a message to secure Iraq’s people, and show the true sentiments of Iraqis who are actually victims of terrorism?

We expected the new Iraqi cabinet to make political and cultural strides to combat terrorism. But nothing happened. Their speeches are too inhibited and their movements too slow. The elected cabinet is the government entity responsible for expressing a collective Iraqi stance especially since most of Iraqi society’s shades are represented within this cabinet.

Will the Iraqi elected parliament stand idly by while terrorism continues or will it galvanize its people to show solidarity against it? Iraq’s society would then appear united, while terrorism would be weakened and isolated throughout the whole of the country.

In democratic societies, we see all civil community powers united in defending civil rights, environmental issues, and even animal rights. So why does this silence prevail? Is it a quiet celebration of the criminal murder of human beings lead by a coalition who believe in a culture of death.

The Iraqi society is in bad need of a proactive political movement, a million-man march in response to the violence and bloodshed. Iraq’s powerful political parties have the potential to take the initiative and amass supporters from Zakho to Basra. The Iraqi nation must send a clear and direct message to the world showing that it is united against terrorism and that terrorism should be eliminated. It is a terrorism that targets Iraqis and it has nothing to do with resistance or occupation.

Terrorism in Iraq is taking a bloody course similar to that of Saddam Hussein who was never hesitant about destroying whole villages, burying people alive, filling mass graves, and using internationally banned weapons on his own people.

The Iraqi society needs an active political active movement against terrorism. This would increase security among its citizens and deliver the message of Iraq true attitude towards terrorism. The worst scenario is this spectator-like attitude to continue at such a critical time.