Baath party renews its claim to leadership of the resistance
The Arab Socialist Baath Party (Iraq division), alias the Baath Party, published a statement on an affiliated web-site, al-moharrer.net (here in the original, and here in their own English rendition).
The statement opens with this general theme: "Today the neo-Safavids carried out the order of the criminal crusader George Bush by executing the symbol of your honor and your strength, the leader of all those who believe in God and Arabism, leader of all the Arab and muslim martyrs in the modern age, Saddam Hussein". This is not the end of anything, the statement says, but rather represents the transformation of Saddam into a "mighty power moving tens of millions of Arabs and muslims and other honorable people throughout the world to a deepening and a broadening of the sacred jihad against America and its allies, Iran in particular." In other words, Saddam's death should elevate his importance as a symbol of Arabism and Islam in the continuing struggle against America and its allies.
This is followed by short addresses to various sectors of the population:
To various jihadi participants, not necessarily already Baathists: Saddam was targeted because he was the Arab bulwark against both Israel and Iran (the statement refers to his having fired 43 rockets at Israel; and to his having "stopped the flow of hatred" from Iran to the Arab world via Iraq), and for that reason it is incumbent on all Arabs to use the occasion of his martyrdom to join or support the ranks of jihad. Similarly, those who are already in the movement should set aside their organizational or other differences. Because whatever your differences may be concerning Saddam, everyone agrees that he refused to compromise right up to the end of his earthly life. So "strengthen your jihadi unity and let his martyrdom be an occasion for the unity of the jihadi factions, in order to speed the revenge for his martyrdom and that of millions or other Iraqis and Arabs and Muslims" victims of America and Israel and Iran.
To intellectuals: This Baath party statement repeats points it has outlined earlier, to the effect the Lebanese Hizbullah are part and parcel of the American-Iranian alliance, focusing on the theme that the Israel-Lebanon war was mere a distraction to try and earn sympathy for Iran among the Arabs. (It is worth noting that while the Islamic Army in Iraq statement seems to consider the Iranians as having led the Americans into a trap in Iraq so as to themselves reap the wealth of Iraq as "unearned booty", the Baath Party, by contrast, presents a picture of the Americans and the Iranians, and the "Zionists" too, as in principle working hand in glove throughout the events of the recent years. The dismissal of Lebanon as a mere distraction is part of the Baath party theme of Iraq as the single all-important focus of resistance against America).
To Baathist mujahideen in particular: Use this as an occasion for unity, but at the same time reject those discredited individuals who hold discussions here and there in the name of the party. Fight against the occupation and against Iran, "but avoid any reactions against Iraqis, because that is precisely what America and Iran want, namely to convert your fight against the occupation and against Iran into a civil war..."
Elaph this morning cites a Baath party statement that covers some of the same points, but with a bigger emphasis on internal Baath party reorganization following the death of Saddam. Elaph says party sources expect the next president of the party to be Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, vice-president under Saddam, thought to be the leader of the armed Baath resistance.
The statement opens with this general theme: "Today the neo-Safavids carried out the order of the criminal crusader George Bush by executing the symbol of your honor and your strength, the leader of all those who believe in God and Arabism, leader of all the Arab and muslim martyrs in the modern age, Saddam Hussein". This is not the end of anything, the statement says, but rather represents the transformation of Saddam into a "mighty power moving tens of millions of Arabs and muslims and other honorable people throughout the world to a deepening and a broadening of the sacred jihad against America and its allies, Iran in particular." In other words, Saddam's death should elevate his importance as a symbol of Arabism and Islam in the continuing struggle against America and its allies.
This is followed by short addresses to various sectors of the population:
To various jihadi participants, not necessarily already Baathists: Saddam was targeted because he was the Arab bulwark against both Israel and Iran (the statement refers to his having fired 43 rockets at Israel; and to his having "stopped the flow of hatred" from Iran to the Arab world via Iraq), and for that reason it is incumbent on all Arabs to use the occasion of his martyrdom to join or support the ranks of jihad. Similarly, those who are already in the movement should set aside their organizational or other differences. Because whatever your differences may be concerning Saddam, everyone agrees that he refused to compromise right up to the end of his earthly life. So "strengthen your jihadi unity and let his martyrdom be an occasion for the unity of the jihadi factions, in order to speed the revenge for his martyrdom and that of millions or other Iraqis and Arabs and Muslims" victims of America and Israel and Iran.
To intellectuals: This Baath party statement repeats points it has outlined earlier, to the effect the Lebanese Hizbullah are part and parcel of the American-Iranian alliance, focusing on the theme that the Israel-Lebanon war was mere a distraction to try and earn sympathy for Iran among the Arabs. (It is worth noting that while the Islamic Army in Iraq statement seems to consider the Iranians as having led the Americans into a trap in Iraq so as to themselves reap the wealth of Iraq as "unearned booty", the Baath Party, by contrast, presents a picture of the Americans and the Iranians, and the "Zionists" too, as in principle working hand in glove throughout the events of the recent years. The dismissal of Lebanon as a mere distraction is part of the Baath party theme of Iraq as the single all-important focus of resistance against America).
To Baathist mujahideen in particular: Use this as an occasion for unity, but at the same time reject those discredited individuals who hold discussions here and there in the name of the party. Fight against the occupation and against Iran, "but avoid any reactions against Iraqis, because that is precisely what America and Iran want, namely to convert your fight against the occupation and against Iran into a civil war..."
Elaph this morning cites a Baath party statement that covers some of the same points, but with a bigger emphasis on internal Baath party reorganization following the death of Saddam. Elaph says party sources expect the next president of the party to be Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, vice-president under Saddam, thought to be the leader of the armed Baath resistance.
posted by badger at 8:01 AM
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Hyderabad, Dec 30 (IANS) The execution of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein Saturday evoked strong public protests in Andhra Pradesh.
Protesters took out rallies and burnt effigies of US President George W. Bush. Holding posters of Saddam, they Shouting slogans of 'Down with American imperialism'.Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), which has a strong presence in this state capital In Hyderabad, MIM activists held protests in different places in the Muslim majority old city parts and held a demonstration in Mehdipatnam.
MIM president and former MP Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi said if Saddam had committed crimes he should have been punished by the people of Iraq or their elected government. "He was tried and punished the way the US wanted. The trial was big charade," he said.
"We are not saying that he should not have been punished but the question is who has the right to punish him. Certainly not a country which invaded Iraq," Owaisi told IANS."This is a murder of justice. Bush has proved that he is the Hitler of the 21st century," "It is Bush who should be hanged for killing thousands of people in Iraq and Afghanistan," and added: "If Saddam committed crimes against humanity, the crimes committed by Bush across the world are equally heinous. If Saddam has been hanged for his crimes why Bush should go scot-free?"
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