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The armed resistance and
terrorism in Iraq

 


By 

Amin Al-Zubydi

President of the Iraqi-Swedish Friendship Association, Baghdad

TFF associate

 

November 7, 2003

The armed resistance that appeared in Iraq after the invasion war aims is to drive the coalition forces out. To the extent terrorism is part of this resistance, it creates troubles, horror and destruction throughout the country. In the shortest possible manner, I shall try to shed some light on these developments in my country.

We can divide the armed resistance into three different groups as follows:

1. Saddam groups who were obeying Saddam regulations but who, in the meantime, have also developed what I would call home or national loyalty which remained strong after Saddam fall. They struggle against the occupation forces not only for domestic and nartional purposes; they also seek revenge because the occupation forces deal with them exclusively as criminals, i.e. without distinguishing between the good and the bad ones. They were forced out of their jobs by the American adminstration and remain unemployed, without salaries or compensation. And their social situation is completely ignored, not taking into consideration that we talk here about thousands of the families. 

They consist of security forces, the Special Forces, some Baath party members, rebels (Saddam Fidaain), and some citizens who have joined them. These groups are well trained, well armed well financed by funds which were kept with Saddam, his sons, and his followers.

 

2. The independent groups which consist of patriotic and religious citizens. These groups see the promises of coalition forces as nothing but lies and their occupation of Iraq as a big sin and a big crime. Their training and financing are not like the groups mentioned above.They are not professional and they are financed by the wealthy people.

 

3. The Arabian and (Muslim) groups, who entered the country, before, during and after the war. I believe we can classify these groups into three different sub-groups and each of them are un-related to the other two:

3A. The first one co-operates and co-ordinates with the Saddam groups mentioned under 1. Up till now, these groups blindly believe that Saddam is both and Islamic and Arab liberator and saviour.

3B. The second sub-group acts with the groups mentioned under point 2 above.

3C. The third type of sub-groups operate independently. They are part of international terrorism, have obtained a professional training, are well financed and they target human and UN organizations, holly shrines,e mbassies, markets innocent people in the street, etc. They do all this to spread the horror, create instability, and instigate conflict among the nation and its various groups.

 

The main problem now in Iraq is the complete absence of the security. I believe that, in a way, that's what the Americans find important. They want the general confusion and instability as well as specific conflict among denominations, families and nationalities. All these may eventually lead - in their poor minds - to civil war in Iraq. If that comes, they have an excuse to stay for years and years. I do not think that that will happen. If war comes, it will be a united war against the coalition forces even with the participation from those regions which have no armed resistance but, till now, wait quite patiently for American promises to be fulfilled. Those regions will show unexpected resistance when they lose their patience. They are now like embers under the ash.

The loyalty to Saddam that is found among the former forces, officials and followers should not be understood as a sign that they lack patriotism. They are now coming much closer to each other to make one common front which will eventually become one united patriotic resistance.

After the war, conceit led Americans to believe that the way to Iran and Syria would be easy and smoothly paved. Now they have postponed that plan because they discovered that the delicious morsel called Iraq is not easy, but sour. The morsel seems to become a choking one.

 

© TFF & the author 2003  

 

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