Iraq: Liberation before elections says ASM

[Aidoneus]

Iraq: Liberation before elections says ASM
By Ahmed Janabi
Tuesday 13 January 2004

The liberation of Iraq from foreign occupiers is the first priority says the spokesman for the Association of Muslim Scholars, the highest Sunni authority in the country.

Dr Muhammad Ayash al-Kubaisi told Aljazeera.net on Tuesday that Iraq lacks the potential for free and honest elections while the occupation continues.

"How can a country with no sovereignty and no legitimate government hold free elections" he said, "Our top priority is to have our homeland free from any foreign military existence, after that there are mechanisms to achieve democracy. Initially we in the Association of Muslim Scholars believe in consulting the Iraqi people on every Iraqi issue."

Responding to a question on whether a US pullout from Iraq would lead to a civil war, al Kubaisi said "I wonder why the Americans are promoting such an idea", "If they are really after the democracy and prosperity of the Iraqi people, why are they putting us between two difficult choices - occupation or civil war!"

--snip--

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/05954506-9E7D-4559-B045-D3F93B4B0347.htm

[acmavm]

1. Because, goof ball, if there were a third choice, like Iraqis calling the

shots, the Bush* administation wouldn't have control of the oil fields.

Sheesh.