Baghdad: The President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Faiq Zaidan, affirmed that no military victory can be considered complete unless it is crowned with full state sovereignty over its land and national decision-making. In a statement, Zaidan said that Iraqis commemorate the 'Great Victory Day' on December 10 each year, marking the completion of the liberation of all Iraqi territory from the terrorist ISIS organization in 2017, following years of heroic battles and immense sacrifices. These sacrifices, he noted, were not limited to liberating land alone, but also aimed at liberating thought, restoring sovereignty, and reaffirming the state's ability to impose its authority, enforce the rule of law, and ensure security and order.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Zaidan added that any discussion of victory cannot be separated from sovereignty, stressing that a military triumph loses its true meaning unless it is accompanied by genuine sovereignty over land and decision-making. Victory over terrorism, he said, is not merely a military achievement but a reaffirmation of the state's authority and its ability to protect itself before the world.

Zaidan emphasized that victory alone is insufficient without consolidating real sovereignty that safeguards independence and prevents external interference, describing sovereignty as the fundamental guarantee for sustaining victory, consolidating stability, and building a secure future. He pointed out that sovereignty is one of the key pillars of the modern state, meaning the capacity to make free and independent decisions without external dictates. He explained that sovereign decision-making ensures the state remains strong, respected, and capable of managing its affairs in line with the will of its people and their supreme interests, rather than the interests of external powers or pressure groups.

In light of the sensitive regional circumstances, Zaidan called on all political forces and figures to adhere to the pure national will in fulfilling constitutional entitlements related to the selection of the three presidencies (the Council of Representatives, the Presidency of the Republic, and the Council of Ministers), especially after regional and international actors affirmed their commitment to non-interference and leaving the matter to Iraqi political forces. He noted that this positive external stance places full responsibility on political blocs to complete these entitlements in a manner that strengthens political stability, preserves the prestige of the state, and paves the way toward a new phase based on sovereignty and an independent national decision.

Zaidan concluded by stating that history does not forgive and peoples do not forget, stressing that courageous national positions today will contribute to building an independent Iraq governed by the will of its own people.