Dr. Yousif Ahmad Sheikh Bzini

Elections in Iraq is an important step towards a new era after the will of Iraqis was abandoned for decades, and in spite of our comments on the mechanism of these elections yet I see it is necessary to run these elections on time and not to exclude any political sincere party to ensure the rights of all according to their respective national political program for Iraq. However, thru our generalization (follow-up and analysis of Iraq political reality) of the current Iraqi state of affairs I see it is incumbent upon us to reject the state of stillness and should activate rationality to guarantee continuous development and for a brighter future.  The CINU held an accord to which he called the cultural and intellectual elite in Iraq, with a view to go over and evaluate his intellectual project and political address, practices, vision and attitudes towards the issues raised, and his dealing as a political party with the reality and performance of his role during bygone events…in short, the CINU brought before his intellectuals, writers, and thinkers the party's past with all what it contains of positive, negative, weak or strong components, and in all what it carries of intellectual projects, political practices and a variety of stands vis-à-vis the events and developments seen by Iraqi and regional arena and even the international thereof during the last years…and he laid before the participants in this concord, in the form of working papers a number of important themes touching closely on the CINU issues, however, and in their turn the attendance debated, discussed and studied those themes in a free and bold mood, while the agendas were discussed in an expansive space and climate free from any restrictions, pressures or pre-instructions, and without imposing any red lines… and thus the themes raised were summarized in the following points:

1.    Political performance of the CINU (address and practice)
2.    Intellectual path of the CINU
3.    Role of the intellectual in the CINU and society
4.    Feminist work between yesterday and future requirements
5.    Current shifts, challenges and next phase requirements

The purpose of this initiative however is about:
Fist: shape and crystallize an effective, influencing political and intellectual vision and clearer for political performance, take correct factual attitudes required by the current situations and events and changes that are frequently taking place on the political arena which would prompt the CINU to deal with them flexibly, wisely and transparently.
Second: give active, prominent and fundamental a role to CINU intellectuals and thinkers, and engage them in making up the address and political project, and to determine what should the CINU, and must, focus on in the next and critical phase following participation in the elections and alliances.
Since the cultural and intellectual elite in any party or organization is considered the heart, driving force and lifeblood of that particular party and organization.

Third: reconsider the national and regional stands and mechanisms practiced in the political performance and all fields in which the party worked, with the aim to sort the positives and negatives, identify and point out strengths and weaknesses, avoid negatives and weaknesses in the next phase, and to build the future on the positives… however ,this new initiative is considered – in my opinion -  a bold step forward, an important turning point in the life of the CINU and a superior example worthy of appreciation and simulation, especially by Iraqi parties, this initiative has come as a result of leadership's perception that partisan work and political performance, however some may describe in the most beautiful qualities it will remain within the framework of human activity and effort which is controlled by the time factors with its three dimensions, space and man who is impressed by what goes around him of developments, and what revolves in his mind of thoughts, feelings and visions, and however numerous and diverse the positives of a party were, its policies, stands and practices in different domains should not be denied the opportunities of reflection, criticism, rejection or approbation …and politics, as it goes without saying, is an ever- changing nature, not amenable to a specific frame or controls, nor it does accept hearsay; and thus to reduce the bid calling for intensified and concerted efforts, contribution of various segments of intellectuals, experts and professionals in order to produce a clear political vision, creative and innovative political discourse, revision and criticism of the march, premises and precedents of the party is a necessary operation to overcome the state of recession and stagnation which may affect any political movement in any phase thereof, and this is necessary also, in order to extend its influence on the state of affairs, and its reaction with the events and new changes taking place on the political arena… and finally, we got to admit that this new initiative has come a bit late though the opportunity is still favorable to study the proposals, comments and censures directed by intellectuals and thinkers but even those which are directed to it from experts and professionals from outside the party based on the premise that "wisdom is the believer's goal  if he found then it will be his own right" .. And that wisdom is the foster sister of collective methodology …