ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday called a proposed conscription bill an “outdated” idea, arguing modern warfare no longer relies on mass troop numbers and urging parliament to postpone enacting the law.

The Iraqi parliament on Sunday concluded the reading of a proposed “National Service” law, which aims to “enhance the capabilities of the Iraqi Army, provide an opportunity for male citizens to perform national service, [and] regulate service matters,” according to a parliament statement.

Maliki, also prime minister hopeful for the upcoming Iraqi government, said in a statement that mandatory military service is “an idea that is outdated,” arguing that “modern warfare no longer relies on large numbers of soldiers, but rather on drones and advanced technologies.”

The Shiite leader also warned that involving large numbers of soldiers would cost the state “enormous sums without any real need.”

“It would be better to direct these resources toward developing the army's efficiency and building an effective force with fewer personnel,” he said.

Maliki concluded his statement by calling on the parliament to “postpone enacting this law.”

Parliament speaker Haibat al-Halbousi, the bill’s main supporter, termed it "a security and social necessity that contributes to strengthening the military institution," as well as helping to mitigate unemployment, foster national unity, and cultivate a disciplined generation.

Halbousi also rejected the idea of calling the National Service bill “compulsory conscription,” asserting “we do not want to militarize society, but rather we want young people to feel a sense of belonging to the nation.”

Iraq has previously toyed with reintroducing conscription, in force from 1935 until the fall of the Ba'athist regime in 2003, as a means of bolstering its security capabilities.

In 2021, then-Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi introduced the Compulsory Military Service law to parliament, which would have seen men between the ages 18 and 35 serve in the armed forces for between three to 18 months, depending on their education levels. Conscripts would have received 600,000 to 700,000 Iraqi dinars per month.

However, the plan was shelved when current premier Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani assumed office.

Many of Iraq's neighbors, including Iran, Jordan, Turkey, and Kuwait, have mandatory military service.

According to the online index Global Firepower, the Iraqi military in 2026 has 193,000 active service members.