-Caveat Lector- Mon, Mar 24, 2003 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news? tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030322/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_war_opposition_1
Iraqi Shiite opposition will not fight alongside US against Baghdad: leader Sat Mar 22,11:31 AM ET DOHA (AFP) - Iraq (news - web sites)'s main Shiite opposition faction, based in Iran, will not take part in the "aggressive war" being waged by the United States and its allies on Iraq, its leader said. AFP Photo "We believe that the method of dealing with (the Baghdad) regime should not be through war. War is harmful," Mohammad Baqir Hakim of the Supreme Assembly for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SAIRI) told al-Jazeera TV news network. Therefore "we cannot ... be part of the US action since we do not believe in this action," Hakim said Saturday. SAIRI's armed wing, the Al-Badr Brigade, is believed to number between 10,000 and 15,000 fighters. Many are said to have crossed into Kurdish-held northern Iraq in anticipation of the US-led war aimed at toppling Saddam Hussein (news - web sites). Hakim told the Qatari television station that because the war defied international public opinion as well as UN Security Council resolutions, "we can consider it an aggressive war." He also said that his group along with the rest of the Iraqi opposition opposed any Turkish intervention in the north of Iraq, saying that this would "make the situation of the Iraqi issue very serious." Both SAIRI and one of the main Kurdish opposition groups said earlier Saturday that the Iraqi opposition would be allowed to rule the country immediately after Saddam is ousted from power. They said the United States had had a change of heart and abandoned plans to install a temporary US military administration. SAIRI number two Abdelaziz Hakim told AFP on Saturday that "until now, the al-Badr Brigade has not received orders from their superiors to get fully involved (in the conflict) and we do not know when they will." Shiite soldiers would, he hoped, play a part in ousting Saddam "in due time", but it would neither be with, nor under the command, of US forces, he said. Western diplomatic sources in Tehran say that the United States, which sees SAIRI as too close to the Iranian regime for its liking, has told the Shiite opposition that its armed forces were not authorised to enter Iraq after the start of war. The SAIRI leader was named at a meeting in late February as part of a six- member collective leadership which is set to decide on a post- Saddam interim government. Email Story Post/Read Msgs (45) Formatted Story Ratings: Would you recommend this story? Not at all 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 Highly Next Story: Baghdad rocked by more pounding raids after Iraq shows US prisoners (AFP) More World - Middle East Stories · Baghdad rocked by more pounding raids after Iraq shows US prisoners (AFP) · Bush to Give Estimate of War Cost (AP) · US intercepted Baghdad phone calls suggesting Saddam injury (AFP) · Iraqi Guerrilla Tactics Snarl Coalition (AP) · US forces examine possible Iraqi chemical weapons factory (AFP) Copyright © 2003 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. Forwarded for your information. The text and intent of the article have to stand on their own merits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. 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