TIDES Iraq Reconstruction Report

No. 110, 20 February 2004

http://tides.carebridge.org/

Iraqi Party Leader Discusses Elections, Country's Future

Iraq today is the scene of an abnormally energetic political activity. Many divergent views are put forward but there is general agreement over what the outcome should be like. Various organizations, tribal councils, federations, and political parties are working tirelessly to redraw Iraq's political map or to contribute as much as possible to the effort to close the chapter of the past so that our people can live in a new era where amity and accord prevail. Among the currently active parties is the Free Iraqi Society Party which was founded by Abd-al-Muhsin Shalash, who is also its secretary general. The newspaper Al-Furat conducted a frank interview with Shalash to explore his objectives and his hopes for the future. We interviewed him to learn on what issues he agrees with other movements and parties and on what issues he disagrees with them and to listen to his views about everything that is happening around us in these difficult circumstances. Following is the text of the interview with Abd-al-Muhsin Shalash, who has a degree from Nance University in Alsace-Lorraine, France, and who participated in research to use radio frequencies in open-heart surgery.

Al-Furat (Baghdad), in Arabic, 14 Feb 04