‘Americans risk confronting an Iraqi Intifada’
How did you feel as a Palestinian and an Arab on April 9 when you saw the Americans putting the Stars and Stripes on a statue of Saddam before pulling it down in Baghdad, which had fallen without resistance? I’ll speak frankly. I am against the American invasion and occupation of Iraq. I had good relations with Saddam Hussein because he was one of the Arab leaders. I was a member of the Pan-Arab Baath Party before Saddam himself was, because I supported and still do support the unity of the whole Arab world. All Arabs greeted the American invasion with feelings of hatred and rejection, regardless of their opinion of Saddam Hussein. Whether Saddam should have been removed or not is something that the Iraqi people themselves must decide, not the Americans. The Arab peoples were disappointed by the fall of Baghdad. Unfortunately, they don’t have courageous leaders who can face up to American imperialism. But the same applies to the European Union, Russia and China. Anyway, the resistance of the Iraqi people is growing. In the long term, the situation may develop into another Vietnam. You might say that Vietnam had the support of the Soviet Union. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to talk about the prospect of an Iraqi Intifada. Like us, Iraq cannot rely on the support of any state, but only on the resistance of its own people. Will you recognize the new 25-member government council in Iraq. No. The so-called governing council was appointed by the Americans and that’s why we won’t recognize it. The Arab world will support whatever government is elected by the Iraqi people themselves. That is the official position of the Arab League.
