Analysis of Iraqi Opposition groups

The leaders of the Iraqi parties which oppose the Ba’ath regime of President Saddam Hussein meet in Washington, Pravda.Ru puts each one under the microscope.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Massoud Barzani, operates in northern Iraq in a zone shielded by US and British military forces. Founded by Massoud’s father Mustafa Barzani, in 1946, the KDP defends the creation of an autonomous Kurdish state in a federal Iraq. The KDP shares this space with rival group Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, led by Jalal Talabani. The PUK split from the KDP in 1975 and defends self government for the Kurds within a democratic, unified Iraq.

In the south, Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakin leads the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, although he lives in Teheran. He is the son of the Great Ayatollah Muhsin al-Hakim, spiritual leader of the Shi’ite Moslems between 1955 and 1970. The SCIRI is in fact a coalition of various Moslem groups, supported by the Shi’ite Moslem community in the southern area also covered by US and British military forces. This movement has some 3,000 soldiers ready for action living on the Iranian side of the border.

The Iraqi National Congress, led by Ahmad Chalabi, is based in London. It was formed in 1992 by 200 Iraqi politicians living in exile and has benefited from generous funds donated by Washington, although this group has little or no support inside the country.

Ayad Allawi leads the Iraqi National Accord, which was founded in 1990 by Iraqi Army deserters, who along with several members of the secret services and Ba’ath party officials, abandoned President Saddam Hussein. Supported by Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, the INA has good relations with Washington.

Finally, the Movement for Constitutional Monarchy is led by Ali bin al-Hussein, a member of the Jordanian Hashemite dynasty, who defends a constitutional monarchy within a parliamentary system of democracy.

Timofei BYELO PRAVDA.Ru