I disagree that this is the only way. The fact is that the ICP is at the forefront of the reorganization of the working-class movement in Iraq. It has led the process of organizing the IFTU, which has come under attack by the US forces. It has called for the inclusion of Arab nationalist, secular democratic parties, and even parties that are religious in the reconstruction process, an inclusion that forces aligned with the US, like Chalabi, have opposed because his/US goal is to keep the recosntruction process as narrow as possible in order to ensure that as many pro-US individuals control it as possible. I think the ICP's view is that if they focus their work only in areas outside of the reconstruction process and outside of the arena to which the US plans to turn power over to on June 30 by quitting the IGC, they will be forfeiting that political ground to U.S. controlled interests. This won't be a positive thing for Iraq. It won't create an independent country, nor will it unify the diverse class and ethnic/cultural forces. Their view seems to be that unity is the key to rebuilding Iraq independent of the US. They have even said that Iraq doesn't need to have a completely secular constitution if it will promote unity and a national democratic movement.
Joel
It is understandable that secular Communists are weary of fighters inspired by their religious faith, as the latter may not have any fond regard for the former, but the only way that Iraqi Communists can survive the occupation and its aftermath is to quit the Governing Council and position themselves at the forefront of the demonstrations in the streets, building up working-class support for the party in the process. Unless they can do that, they will be pretty soon back into exile or the underground. -- Yoshie
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