Al-Dhari: the Iraqi Resistance is regaining its strength and sectarian violence has ended
Leave a commentOctober 19, 2008 by The Mormon Worker
Below is my translation of an interview with Harith Al-Dhari, secretary general of the Muslim Scholars Association in Iraq, that appeared on Aljazeera.net two days ago. Al-Dhari is considered by many the spiritual father of the Iraqi resistance, and he contends the resistance groups are regrouping after the set backs they experienced as a result of the formation of the Awakenings councils (Sunni militias consisting of members of Iraqi tribes and funded by the US). We’ll see in the coming months if Al-Dhari’s claims materialize. Also of note is his commentary on the sectarian violence that reached its apex in 2006. As a nationalist Al-Dhari eschews violence between Sunni and Shia, and contends that the sectarian violence had little to do with hatred between the sects, but rather was political violence primarily initiated by the US-backed political parties in the US government. Enjoy.
Al-Dhari: the Iraqi Resistance is regaining its strength and sectarian violence has ended
10/18/08, Al-Jazeera.net
The general secretary of the Muslim Scholars Association in Iraq, Harith Al-Dhari confirmed that the Iraqi resistance is regaining its strength, and its activities are increasing day by day, and is expected to arrive at in the course of a few months the level which it previously had before the appearance of the Awakenings Councils which the American Army established with the cooperation of some Iraqi tribes roughly two years ago with the goal of “fighting the armed groups.”
And he recognized that the Awakenings “presented the occupation many things and contributed to the interruption/suspension/reduction of resistance operations by 50% to 60%, despite that the Awakenings fighters in their view arrived finally at being abandoned by the American Army and neglected by the Iraqi government.
Al-Dhari added-in an interview with Al-Jazeera.net in the Qatari capital of Doha- that the sectarian killing will not return to Iraq, pointing out also that these in reality were not “sectarian killings” between Sunni and Shia, but rather were in reality political killings and discord behind which the ruling political parties stand.”
He continued saying that Iraqi’s of all kinds, Sunni, Shia, and others take part in opposing the occupation, and that the government “does not represent anyone but parties and political groups who depend on the presence and support of the occupation and foreign projects.”
And Al-Dhari criticized the security agreement which the Iraqi government intends to sign with the Americans, adding that this agreement transcends the issue/aspect of security and deals with the political, economic, cultural and societal issues/aspects, and will make the United States “participate in managing all these aspects and will be a hegemonic associate/participant.”
And especially in regard to the attacks which the Christians in the city of Mosul and northern Iraq generally have been subjected to lately, Al-Dhari confirmed that Kurdish intelligence are the ones standing behind them with the goal of expelling the Christians from Mosul and its surroundings to Christian villages opposite the Kurdistan region.
He added that the objective of this attack is the gather the Christians there to “be a voting block with others that can enter the provincial elections in Mosul province and vote at the side of the supporters of the Kurdish parties.”
http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3D10B613-E2AB-4EC7-BFCD-71A1D4291ADD.htm
The Mormon Worker 