ME GENERATION:

Iraqi opposition leader Chalabi rejects British assertions linking Israel with Iraq (Douglas Davis, Mar. 27, 2003, Jerusalem Post)

Leader of the opposition Iraqi National Congress Ahmad Chalabi has emphatically rejected British assertions that hostility toward the coalition forces is an expression of anger over the West's supposed "double standards" in its approach to Iraq and Israel.

"This is science fiction," said US-backed Chalabi, who is Washington's choice to head a future administration in Baghdad. "The Iraqis are stuck between the allied bombs and Saddam's repressive apparatus.

"The issue of Palestine is not the reason why they have not demonstrated. It is fear of Saddam and that the coalition has told them to do nothing."

In an interview from the northern Iraq town of Dokan, published in London's Daily Telegraph on Thursday, Chalabi was also critical of the proposal by British Prime Minister Tony Blair that the UN should play a major role in post-war Iraq.

"The UN is too weak to deal with de-Ba'athification, the destruction of weapons of mass destruction and the dismantling of Saddam's security services," he said.

"The UN would be hamstrung. Iraq is far too big and important."

He noted that "the UN's record on Iraq has been abysmal and the Iraqi people has little confidence in the UN."

Instead, Mr Chalabi wants allied troops to remain until a referendum, followed by elections, to establish democracy and independence.

You ever notice how the Palestinian situation is the most important issue in the Arab world...until, that is, any other nation's own self-interest is at stake, then it's Pale...who? That's why we believe that fostering internal reform and giving Arabs (including Palestinians) a stake in the improvement of their own societies will serve to defuse much of the violence and hatred currently directed at Israel. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 27, 2003 10:07 AM