Is what is currently happening in Iraq a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) from which one must stay away, or is it permissible to join the Muslims in fighting the disbelievers?

Abu Malik: A questioner asks: Is this ongoing war and the situation in which Muslims are living a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) in which a Muslim must stay in his home and refrain from speaking about it? Or is it obligatory for him to participate in this war, or these wars, on the side of the Muslims against the disbelievers from both sides? We ask for clarification of the answer, and may Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : I think this has been answered previously.
Abu Malik: Yes, indeed.

The Shaykh : There is nothing new in it, and the summary of what was said before: we have mentioned to you in past words, and I referred to some of it previously when the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) arose. We were reminding you of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) because the fitnah was between a fitnah where a Muslim aggressed against a Muslim, and another fitnah that brought the disbelievers into the lands of the Muslims. At that time, there was fear that the fitnah would occur among the Muslims themselves, so we were presenting to you his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) in some of the hadiths regarding fitnah because both parties are contrary to the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law): the one who rebelled against his neighbor and the one who brought the disbelievers into his home. Therefore, it is not appropriate for us to be with these or with those. However, now that the situation has developed from what it was at the beginning, and the disbelievers have all united against the Muslims in Iraq, here we do not say except in the case of individuals, as we said. But if an Islamic state advances to assist the Iraqis against their enemies, then at that time it is obligatory for us all, everyone who is able, to strive in the path of Allah with them. This was the summary of what I spoke of earlier, and the answer to this question is what has been mentioned.