On April 9th Al-Jazeera’s Ahmed Monsour interviewed Dr. Ibrahim Al-Shammari, a spokesman for the Islamic Army in Iraq. Here are some of the noteworthy points:
-What is the state of the Awakening in Sunni areas? There are many different factions within the Awakening. Some, who have had relationships with the Americans in the past are simply exploiting them now. Others, who suffer from unemployment are motivated by financial reasons. But many in the Awakening have now realized that this strategy was full of mistakes.
-What is your relationship with Sadr? Why don’t you coordinate with Sadr against the US? We welcomed his attacks against the Americans in the beginning of the occupation. But now the Mahdi Army is one of the worst forces of sectarianism in Iraq. If Sadr was really concerned with resisting the occupation he would reign in the sectarian forces. So we don’t see any possibility of coordination.
-What is the relationship between al-Qaeda and the Resistance? “We fundamentally differ from Al-Qaeda which pronounces takfir on anyone it disagrees with.” Uses the term ghuluw , excessiveness in Religion, to describe Al-Qaeda, which is also the term Sayyid Imam uses to criticize Ayman Al-Zawahiri.
-From Al-Shammari’s perspective both Iran and the US are occupying Iraq. He also rules out recognizing the Malaki government.
-Doesn’t Iran have the right to ensure its interests in Iraq? Yes, but what they are doing is not interests, rather ambition.
-The Resistance has no non-Sunnis in its ranks, nor any real tangible political platform, and only has a presence in Sunni areas, so isnt this paving the way for the federalization of Iraq? “No, we don’t think in a sectarian way. We have said from the beginning that we are defending the Iraqi Umma not a specific sect.”
-During the past two years, there have been reports in the media about meetings in Turkey, Lebanon and other places, either directly or indircetly between reps of the US and the Resistance. Can you negotiate with the Americans? No the Americans can not be taken seriously because they dont take our demands into consideration.
On a related note, this Shaikh from the Awakening Says “Al-Qaeda members are scum. It is permissible to kill them.” And on another note, “Iraq’s Awakening Councils form Political Party.” And in a previous post, this author suggests Jordanian Intell had a hand in creating the Awakening .
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