The failed assassination attempt on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi — carried out on Sunday with Iranian-made drones — shows that, in its foreign policy toward the Arab region, Iran is continuing with its usual objective of weakening and destabilizing any respected and legitimate sovereign state. As the accusations of who was behind the attack focused on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, it was quite amusing to read on social media the so-called respectable Western experts blaming the situation on last year’s assassination of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and Abu Madhi Al-Muhandis, the head of the Popular Mobilization Units. Unbelievably, these experts’ analysis stated that the deaths of Soleimani and Al-Muhandis made the 100 percent Iranian-sponsored militias in Iraq less controllable by — wait for it — Iran. This is total nonsense. The attempt on the Iraqi prime minister’s life was exactly the type of action Soleimani would have ordered. Unfortunately, it is highly doubtful the investigation will lead to any substantial findings. In an ideal scenario, those responsible for this action should be brought to justice, with Iraqi judges ruling over their fate. It is by fighting these attacks with sovereign institutions that Iraq can win. If Iran’s goal for Iraq is to allow its militias to continue bleeding the country white, the best answer is to strengthen the state and make it even more powerful: All branches and for all its people. The timing of this attack is also another reason to point the finger of blame at Iran and its militias, as the latter were largely rejected during last month’s parliamentary elections. The fact is that Iraqis understand that Iran’s Middle East policy has nothing to do with freeing their Shiite brothers living under oppression, as they claim. Iraq is the perfect example that it is actually a policy of violent expansionism. Even in Iraq, where the majority of the population is Shiite, Iran is creating more divisions and chaos. The election results clearly sent a message to Tehran: Deal with our state and do not interfere in our domestic affairs. Unlike Lebanon, where it is too late to extract the country from its Iranian occupation, Iraq still has a chance. It is a difficult mission, but it is the only way for Iraq to keep its sovereignty. It is a road paved with danger. The best and most efficient way of dealing with it is to outlaw the militias immediately and have them surrender their weapons. Iraq will not survive if the militias are allowed to continue endangering and threatening every voice that calls for sovereignty. Coexistence with armed militias is not an option. The state must have a monopoly on weapons. It is time for Iraqi political leaders to prove that their loyalty is with their own nation by taking this bold decision. Another important step toward stability in Iraq would be to also outlaw any foreign financing of domestic political and public life. Moreover, no political party should be allowed to administer social services, such as subsidies on goods or free medical services. This demands intense scrutiny of such actions, which could be used to influence the electorate and create divisions within society. All welfare benefits should be offered by the state and to all citizens, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. Charities should be apolitical. Lebanon made the fatal mistake of allowing Hezbollah to retain its military arsenal, while all other militias gave theirs up at the end of the civil war, and let it build parallel institutions to the state. It is one of the main causes of the current catastrophic situation in the country. The group has been allowed to become a state above the state and has destroyed the country. The Iraqi army should, therefore, be empowered to face any threat, whether internal or external. It should not need the help or support of any armed group. Beyond implementing the will of the people, an end to armed militias is a necessity to bring stability to the political situation in the country. It is not a surprise that an escalation such as that seen on Sunday has taken place. Did everyone forget that 30 Iraqi activists who criticized the Iran-backed militias have been assassinated in the past three years? How many more killings and abductions are necessary before Iraqis stand united against this threat? Will they react when all honorable judges are killed? Or when university scholars disappear? This is what happens when militias act with total impunity. Therefore, disarming these militias is the most important mission that the next government will need to undertake. This is the last chance for Iraq to survive and free itself from Iranian control. This is also the only way to eradicate all the symptoms that come with foreign interference, such as corruption. Moreover, nothing justifies the militias’ existence, not even the threat of Daesh. The mistake would be to think that this will be achievable later and under new regional circumstances. The Lebanese leaders thought the same way and realized too late that this gambit would not work. Iraq should learn from this and act now. There is no other way.