-Caveat Lector- >From http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/international.cfm?id=1060272002
Tue 24 Sep 2002 Blow to campaign for war on Saddam Jason Beattie Chief Political Correspondent A SENIOR Iraqi defector has challenged Anglo-American policy towards Saddam Hussein, warning military action is not the best route to "regime change". General Nizar al-Khazraji, a former Iraqi chief of staff, said that President Saddam was more likely to be toppled by a western-backed popular uprising with "moral and diplomatic support" than through military intervention. An occupation by foreign forces could backfire by dampening the Iraqi people’s desire to take on President Saddam, he said. "As an Iraqi and a man who believes in the armed forces, I think the Iraqis must do it, not others," he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. "If the Iraqi people and the armed forces believe that things will change after the fall of Saddam Hussein, they are going to do it. "The moral and diplomatic help is more effective than the military help, I am sure," he said. The intervention by Gen Khazraji, who defected in 1996, will be a blow for the United States and Britain as they seek support for a fresh resolution from the United Nations against Iraq. Fellow Security Council members, Russia, France and China, are sceptical of the need for a new resolution and wary about the hawkish stance adopted by London and Washington. Gen Khazraji, touted as a potential interim leader if President Saddam falls, also criticised maintaining sanctions against Iraq. "If the armed forces and the people inside Iraq believe that the West will help Iraqis in lifting the sanctions, promising too to help the Iraqis in the future, to keep the country unified, that will encourage us to overthrow the regime. "The most important thing is that the Iraqis must be sure that a democratic regime will be there after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and that Iraq will be an independent country," he said. General Khazraji, who is now living in exile in Denmark, offered his own services to lead any Iraqi rebellion against President Saddam, but appeared to rule out a political role for himself. He insisted that he had no interest in heading a new government, saying that President Saddam should be replaced by a civilian regime. "I am military man, I prefer to stay on this side," he said. Asked if an occupation of Iraq by US troops would be dangerous, he replied: "It will be a very dark future for all." Speaking at his home, the general said that he had warned the Iraqi leader to no effect during the Gulf war that he stood to lose not only Kuwait, but Iraq itself. "This guy has to be gone. All real Iraqis want to overthrow this regime and I am one of them," he said. His comments contradicted previous remarks when he said it was a "sacred duty" to replace President Saddam. However, his new found reticence may stem from allegations that he was involved in the use of chemical weapons against the Kurds in 1988. His failure to attend a recent gathering of opposition groups in London was allegedly a result of his fear of being arraigned for war crimes. The general defected in 1995 and is now living under police protection in Denmark. He has denied any involvement in the use of chemical weapons, claiming that he is the victim of a smear campaign by the Iraqi intelligence services. Iraqis living in Denmark are pressing the authorities to deny Gen Khazraji the right to asylum on grounds of his crimes. This article: http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/international.cfm?id=1060272002 More War with Iraq?: http://www.news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=518 Websites: Iraq Dossier (PDF) http://www.ukonline.gov.uk/featurenews/iraqdossier.pdf FCO - Policy towards Iraq http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029394374 FCO site - Britain, UNSCOM & Iraq http://special.fco.gov.uk/ UN - Office of the Iraq Programme http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/ US Dept of State - Iraq Update http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/nea/iraq/ Iraqi Presidency http://www.uruklink.net/iraq/ Iraq Watch http://www.iraqwatch.org John Pilger on Iraq http://pilger.carlton.com/iraq ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A<>E<>R + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Forwarded as information only; I don't believe everything I read or send (but that doesn't stop me from considering it; obviously SOMEBODY thinks it's important) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + "Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. 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