Qais al-Khazali accuses "embassies and intelligence agencies" of waging "soft wars" against Iraq

Shafaq News/ The Secretary-General of the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq movement, Qais al-Khazali, on Saturday accused "embassies and intelligence agencies" he did not name of waging a "soft war" against the Iraqis via injecting billions of dollars to promote "gender, women empowerment, and sexual freedom" agenda.

Speaking at a commemorative event for a fallen leader of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces-PMF), al-Khazali said, "various forms of distortion and psychological, media, and intellectual warfare have been practiced against the Iraqis through different means of so-called soft war, propagated on social media platforms run by electronic armies backed by several embassies, intelligence agencies, and others who have spent billions of dollars to distort the beliefs, morals, customs, and traditions of those people."

"Billions of dollars are being spent monthly by certain countries and embassies to support so-called civil society organizations promoting gender, women's empowerment, and sexual freedom", he noted, "one of these countries spends $3 billion annually in this domain."

It is unclear which countries Khazali was referring to in his accusations.

Al-Khazali, a Shiite cleric who adopts the Shiite duodenal doctrine, is known for his conservative and traditional views on gender and sexual freedom.

In his public statements, he repeatedly expresses opposition to homosexuality, premarital sex, and what he sees as Western decadence.

Al-Khazali has also criticized the concept of gender equality, arguing that it goes against the natural order of things and leads to societal chaos. He has called for preserving traditional gender roles, with men as protectors and providers and women as home caretakers.

Additionally, al-Khazali has been critical of the influence of Western culture on Iraq and has accused Western countries of promoting values that are harmful to Iraqi society. He has called for the rejection of Western-style democracy and the implementation of an Islamic state based on Sharia law.

Overall, al-Khazali's rhetoric on gender and sexual freedom aligns with traditional Shiite values and reflects a rejection of Western liberal ideals.