ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi on Wednesday declared his backing for a proposed National Service Act, framing the reinstatement of mandatory military conscription as “a crucial security and social necessity” for the country.
Following a meeting with Iraqi Army Chief of Staff General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah and other senior military commanders at the defense ministry, Halbousi “reviewed the primary challenges facing the military establishment” and held discussions on mandatory military conscription as a potential “strategic option to strengthen the army’s capabilities,” his office said in a statement.
The reinstatement of compulsory service could help “build a disciplined human base capable of bearing national responsibility,” the statement added, noting Halbousi’s support for the proposal, which he described as “a security and social necessity” that would strengthen the military institution.
The Iraqi parliament speaker also confirmed his support for introducing the National Service Act, which “came after consultations with parliamentary bloc leaders” and Iraqi lawmakers, to ensure it “proceeds through a legislative path that reflects public interest and serves the requirements of national security in the coming phase,” the statement added.
Mandatory conscription was a staple of the Iraqi state for decades until it was abruptly abolished in May 2003, in the wake of the US-led invasion of Iraq which saw Paul Bremer, acting as the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), issued Order Number 2, which formally dissolved the Iraqi armed forces and ended the draft. Iraq has since relied exclusively on an all volunteer military and various paramilitary formations.
Efforts to reinstate conscription have repeatedly failed to gain traction. Most notably, in November 2022, a draft conscription law was introduced in parliament but was quickly shelved amid strong public backlash and a lack of political consensus among ruling blocs. Key objections centered on concerns over its financial burden on the federal budget, as well as broader questions about its feasibility and social impact.
However, following the outbreak of the reported US-Israeli-Iran war in late February 2026, Iraq’s territory was transformed into a kinetic battleground for Iranian missile launches and US-Israeli retaliatory strikes.
In this context, some Iraqi politicians have called for the reinstatement of mandatory military service, arguing that it could help expand the armed forces and strengthen Iraq’s overall defense capabilities in light of the shifting regional security dynamics.