- 14 Jul 2003 02:43
#18024
The 25-member multiethnic, politically diverse council pledged to represent the "national will" of all Iraqis.
The council said it would remain in almost continuous session to handle its work. Although U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer retains ultimate control over the county, the council is expected to make significant steps toward returning rule to Iraqis, including drafting a constitution that will lead to national elections -- executive powers the Coalition Provisional Authority had initially opposed. It will also appoint government ministers.
The Seven Political Parties represented are:
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Iraqi National Congress
The Kurdistan Democratic Party
The Islamic Al-Da'wah Party
The Iraq Democratic Party
The Iraqi National Coalition
and
The Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution
I was really surprised not to see the Iraqi Communist Party. Seeing, the council is supposed to represent the people of Iraq.
Founded in 1934, the Iraqi Communist Party is the oldest in the country. It was banned by the British-installed monarchy, and was later savagely repressed under Saddam's Baathist regime.
Historically, it has drawn its support mainly from the impoverished Shiites of southern Iraq, where the secular party had a strong presence. In the 1960s, its influence gradually spread through rural communities elsewhere in the country, and among middle classes in the Sunni-dominated central part of Iraq.
In the 1970s, the party's leaders and activists took refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan, where they formed a militia force that fought Saddam's army alongside Kurdish guerrillas. In the meantime, they kept up efforts to mobilize party cells in urban centers, and particularly in Baghdad, where they existed in deep secrecy to avoid the regime's omnipresent secret police.
Al-Dujaily said the communists' strength lies in the fact that they now have a strong presence in all parts of Iraq - a boast no other political party can make. Members include Arab Sunnis and Shiites, Kurds, Turkomans, Christians, and Assyrians.
This has earned communists the enmity of other groups, particularly fundamentalist Muslim clerics in Baghdad's al-Thawra neighborhood, where Communist slogans about workers' unity have been painted over or defaced.
The party has a long history of cooperating with other middle-of-the-road parties such as the National Democratic Party, the two main Kurdish political parties and Islamic groups like al-Dawa and the Iranian-backed Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
Although it used to be ideologically close to the Soviet Union, the two fell out over the issue of Moscow's continuing support for Saddam's regime. In 1989, the Iraqi party revised its Marxist roots and moved to a reformist platform allowing for political pluralism and liberal democracy.
The communists now advocate a government representing all of Iraq's political, ethnic and religious groups.
I wish for once that the U.S. wouldn't shy away from any part labeled "Communist". It should be interesting if this council works. I don't think it will have much say however, it seems to me like a puppet council.
The council said it would remain in almost continuous session to handle its work. Although U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer retains ultimate control over the county, the council is expected to make significant steps toward returning rule to Iraqis, including drafting a constitution that will lead to national elections -- executive powers the Coalition Provisional Authority had initially opposed. It will also appoint government ministers.
The Seven Political Parties represented are:
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Iraqi National Congress
The Kurdistan Democratic Party
The Islamic Al-Da'wah Party
The Iraq Democratic Party
The Iraqi National Coalition
and
The Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution
I was really surprised not to see the Iraqi Communist Party. Seeing, the council is supposed to represent the people of Iraq.
Founded in 1934, the Iraqi Communist Party is the oldest in the country. It was banned by the British-installed monarchy, and was later savagely repressed under Saddam's Baathist regime.
Historically, it has drawn its support mainly from the impoverished Shiites of southern Iraq, where the secular party had a strong presence. In the 1960s, its influence gradually spread through rural communities elsewhere in the country, and among middle classes in the Sunni-dominated central part of Iraq.
In the 1970s, the party's leaders and activists took refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan, where they formed a militia force that fought Saddam's army alongside Kurdish guerrillas. In the meantime, they kept up efforts to mobilize party cells in urban centers, and particularly in Baghdad, where they existed in deep secrecy to avoid the regime's omnipresent secret police.
Al-Dujaily said the communists' strength lies in the fact that they now have a strong presence in all parts of Iraq - a boast no other political party can make. Members include Arab Sunnis and Shiites, Kurds, Turkomans, Christians, and Assyrians.
This has earned communists the enmity of other groups, particularly fundamentalist Muslim clerics in Baghdad's al-Thawra neighborhood, where Communist slogans about workers' unity have been painted over or defaced.
The party has a long history of cooperating with other middle-of-the-road parties such as the National Democratic Party, the two main Kurdish political parties and Islamic groups like al-Dawa and the Iranian-backed Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
Although it used to be ideologically close to the Soviet Union, the two fell out over the issue of Moscow's continuing support for Saddam's regime. In 1989, the Iraqi party revised its Marxist roots and moved to a reformist platform allowing for political pluralism and liberal democracy.
The communists now advocate a government representing all of Iraq's political, ethnic and religious groups.
I wish for once that the U.S. wouldn't shy away from any part labeled "Communist". It should be interesting if this council works. I don't think it will have much say however, it seems to me like a puppet council.
Alice came to a fork in the road. "Which road do I take?" she asked.
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter."
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter."
), they will need to earn the trust of the Iraqi people, not just borrow that of their respective parties for a while. Which I don't see as a bad thing.
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