Based on a Miqrab AI analysis of 398 X \/ Twitter posts trending on December 13, 2025, the primary narratives in Iraq revolved around historical reflection and contemporary political tensions. The most prominent topic was the anniversary of Saddam Hussein’s capture, with users sharing images and commentary on the event, largely portraying it as the downfall of a tyrant. Significant attention was also given to current political maneuvering, including heated discussions about the role of US envoy Mark Savaya, which prompted threats from militia-affiliated accounts, and internal debates about the formation of the next government. Other key trends included the official end of the United Nations (UNAMI) mission in Iraq, which elicited mixed reactions, and domestic concerns such as water resource management and judicial reforms.<\/p>\n
Users on X commemorated the anniversary of the capture of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on December 13, 2003, with posts that were highly critical of his legacy. The account Haider<\/a> (Post Impact: 100%<\/strong>) shared a widely circulated image of Saddam’s capture, describing how he was found in a deep hole after fleeing battles and contrasting his disheveled appearance with his former image as a “strong leader.” The post also reminded readers that Saddam had executed tens of thousands of Iraqi soldiers. Similarly, Wasan Al-Shaikhli<\/a> (Post Impact: 60%<\/strong>) ironically referred to him as the “Falcon of the Arabs and protector of the Eastern Gate”<\/em> and noted he was found after hiding for eight months. The account Ahmed Al-Thawaq<\/a> (Post Impact: 45%<\/strong>) also contributed to the trend by posting a picture with text simply stating, “12\/13 the anniversary of Saddam’s arrest from the hole.”<\/em><\/p>\n Prominent political figure Faig Al-Sheikh Ali directed his followers to his two-part response to an article published in the magazine *Foreign Affairs*. In a series of highly engaged posts, his account Faig Al-Sheikh Ali\/My Word for History<\/a> (Post Impact: 52%<\/strong>) announced the rebuttal and urged followers to read it. He then shared links to the first part<\/a> (Post Impact: 56%<\/strong>) and the second and final part<\/a> (Post Impact: 72%<\/strong>) of his detailed response. The posts did not contain the text of his arguments but served to publicize his counter-commentary on the international publication’s analysis of Iraqi affairs.<\/p>\n A statement from Abu Ali Al-Askari, the security official for Kataib Hezbollah, sparked controversy regarding the visit of US envoy Mark Savaya. Sabereen News<\/a> (Post Impact: 21%<\/strong>) shared the statement, which described Savaya as an “obscure young man… mired in deviant behaviors”<\/em> and warned Iraqi political leaders against meeting with him. Salam Al-Husseini<\/a> (Post Impact: 16%<\/strong>) noted that the statement specifically warned leaders from the Coordination Framework (Qais, Ammar, Hammam), declaring they would be considered “traitors and tools” if they communicated with the envoy. The statement drew criticism, with Mohammed Jabbar<\/a> (Post Impact: 32%<\/strong>) mocking Al-Askari for “emerging from his hole” while still hiding behind a pseudonym. Meanwhile, Shaho Al-Qaradaghi<\/a> (Post Impact: 14%<\/strong>) questioned the motives behind the threat, asking, “Why this fear of Savaya?!”<\/em><\/p>\n Accounts on X presented conflicting pictures of Iraq’s water situation, highlighting both positive developments and severe challenges. Haider<\/a> (Post Impact: 63%<\/strong>), citing the Ministry of Water Resources, reported good news from Diyala province, where recent rainfall filled the Alwand Dam to its 39 million cubic meter capacity and significantly raised water levels in the Al-Adhaim Dam and Hemrin Lake. In stark contrast, Radhi Al-Ardhhalji<\/a> (Post Impact: 54%<\/strong>) posted a video alleging that residents of Dhi Qar are forced to drink “recycled” heavy water. The post blamed the government for mismanaging the country’s two rivers and allowing contaminated wastewater to be discharged into them.<\/p>\n On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Ammar Al-Hakim, leader of the National Wisdom Movement, called for a fundamental shift in societal and governmental attitudes towards people with disabilities. In two posts, Ammar Al-Hakim<\/a> (Post Impact: 54%<\/strong>) urged a move from a perspective of pity to one of rights, asking, “Has the word ‘pity’ retreated before the word ‘they have a right’?”<\/em> He emphasized that the problem lies not with individuals’ bodies or senses but with “the wall that the state and society place in front of the person with a disability.” This message was reinforced in a video he shared titled “From Pity to Full Citizenship,”<\/em> posted by his account<\/a> (Post Impact: 58%<\/strong>).<\/p>\n Parliamentarian Mustafa Sanad faced strong criticism online for recording and publishing a phone call with former Minister of Electricity Luay Al-Khatib. Shaho Al-Qaradaghi<\/a> (Post Impact: 60%<\/strong>) condemned the act as “strange and childish behavior”<\/em> that damages the reputation of state institutions, asking, “Are these the actions of a member of parliament?”<\/em> Providing more context, Asaad Al-Basri<\/a> (Post Impact: 25%<\/strong>) recounted that Al-Khatib was woken up late at night by the call, during which Sanad allegedly told him, “I’m calling to blame you… I don’t blame the stupid.”<\/em> Both accounts expressed disapproval of Sanad’s conduct.<\/p>\n The official conclusion of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) was a major topic, marked by the arrival of UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres in Baghdad. Official and government-aligned accounts celebrated the event as a positive milestone. The Prime Minister’s Media Office<\/a> (Post Impact: 11%<\/strong>) announced Guterres’s arrival for the ceremony, while politician Hanan Al-Fatlawi<\/a> (Post Impact: 12%<\/strong>) expressed happiness at seeing “Iraq without guardianship.”<\/em> However, critics offered a starkly different assessment. Dr. Zaid Abdulwahab Al-Adhami<\/a> (Post Impact: 21%<\/strong>) condemned the mission as a “long international cover for incompetence and silent complicity with a corrupt reality,”<\/em> stating it deserves only a “certificate of bad conduct.”<\/em><\/p>\n Discussions about Iraq’s political future were prominent, with sharp critiques of the current system and speculation about the next prime minister. The account Ashuri<\/a> (Post Impact: 61%<\/strong>) posted a cryptic message stating that the next prime minister will be a “(Sayyid),”<\/em> leaving the interpretation to his followers. Meanwhile, Tamara Alkhazraji<\/a> (Post Impact: 58%<\/strong>) offered a scathing assessment of the last 22 years, arguing that “Jafari rule”<\/em> has only brought more ignorance, poverty, drug proliferation, and unemployment to the country. In contrast, pro-Coordination Framework voices like Dr. Hussein Al-Safi<\/a> (Post Impact: 39%<\/strong>) asserted the Shiite majority’s right to lead, stating, “We are the majority and we have the final say,”<\/em> and rejecting any impositions from Sunni or Kurdish blocs.<\/p>\n Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, led by Judge Faiq Zidan, issued new directives aimed at reforming judicial and arrest procedures. As reported by Abbas Al-Ardawi<\/a> (Post Impact: 16%<\/strong>) and Dr. Zaid Abdulwahab Al-Adhami<\/a> (Post Impact: 15%<\/strong>), the new instructions call on courts to avoid issuing arrest warrants based on mere suspicion, to limit pre-trial detention periods, and to substitute imprisonment with fines where legally possible. Some accounts linked this move to external pressure. Mula Aboud Al-Karkhi<\/a> (Post Impact: 29%<\/strong>) claimed the council reversed its “book of suppressing freedoms” and eased penalties immediately after a tweet from US Congressman Joe Wilson that mentioned “terrorism supported by the Supreme Judicial Council under the auspices of Faiq Zidan.”<\/em><\/p>\n2. Faig Al-Sheikh Ali Responds to Foreign Affairs Article<\/h2>\n
3. Threats Over US Envoy Mark Savaya’s Visit<\/h2>\n
4. Contrasting Reports on Iraq’s Water Resources<\/h2>\n
5. Ammar Al-Hakim on International Disabilities Day<\/h2>\n
6. MP Criticized for Filming Call with Former Minister<\/h2>\n
7. End of UNAMI Mission Sparks Mixed Reactions<\/h2>\n
8. Debate Over Next Government and Political System<\/h2>\n
9. Judiciary Announces Procedural Reforms<\/h2>\n
10. Palestinian Faction’s Past Ties to Al-Qaeda in Iraq<\/h2>\n