Editorial: Militias

The constitution is clear on militias: people who are not part of government forces are banned from carrying weapons, and armed militias are forbidden. This is how it is in all democratic states, where the government, through the defence ministry, is the only body authorized to carry and use weapons. Iraqi prime minister Jawad al-Maliki, with the sense of a responsible official, affirmed this position when he said, "If stability is required in Iraq, the government should be the one responsible for the security of the people." He added, "The presence of armed militias is an opening to a civil war." This means that the risk of civil war and the poor security situation will continue as long as militias are armed. There should be a political solution for this issue that maintains security without hurting the dignity of the militiamen.