The Iraqi resistance: 'Why we fight': By Brian Conley and Muhammad Zaher

[babagrr]

Asia Times Online
May 19, 2006

BAGHDAD - Call them terrorists, call them resistance fighters. By whatever their name, they have their own reasons for fighting the Americans in Iraq. Abu
Ayoub, a 35-year-old living in Baghdad, is a member of the Islamic Army. He spoke in the Adhamiya neighborhood about why he joined the fight.

"When the occupation forces entered Baghdad, they killed my brother in front of my eyes. He was wounded and bleeding but the occupation forces didn't allow
me to save him. When I tried to save him they began shooting at me, and after a few minutes my brother died. After that I swore to fight them to the death."

Many resistance groups have been identified since the beginning of the war in March 2003. They range from the well-known Ansaral-Sunna, first noticed in northern Iraq after its members fled Afghanistan, to smaller groups such as the Revenge Brigade involved in the kidnapping of
Jill Carroll, correspondent with the Christian Science Monitor.

"I think 80% are from the Islamic resistance, because Islam orders Muslims to fight against the enemy and against everyone who came to occupy our country,"
Ayoub said.

After his brother was killed, friends just came up to support him in his resistance fight, he said. "At first I was fighting in a small group, because we
didn't trust many people to join with us. But now, after three years fighting, we became part of the Islamic Army. Now everything has become organized
- we make good plans before any attack."

There are some groups, both Sunni and Shi'ite, who believe the time for violent resistance had passed, Ayoub said. Sunni groups such as the Iraqi Accordance
Front, the Iraqi Islamic Party and the Muslim Scholars Association seem to be pushing for a political process, and participated in the December elections.

But the Islamic Army would never negotiate with the United States or the Iraqi government, Abu Ayoub said. He believes negotiators with the coalition and
Iraqi government include only resistance fighters from the Ba'ath Party. "The Ba'ath resistance fights for Saddam, not for Islam or for Iraq. We are against
this. They aren't representative of the Iraqi resistance."

Abu Ayoub believes the occupation cannot be ended either by a political process or by other peaceful means. Only Iraqis fighting back can liberate Iraq,
he said. "The occupation forces will discover after this negotiation that nothing will change. The resistance will grow more and more until the end of
occupation. They came by force, and they will never leave, except by force."

Ayoub said he was not allowed to say how he joined the Islamic Army. But he was willing to say a little about his organization. "The Islamic Army is very
big, and we fight all over Iraq. We have groups everywhere in Iraq, but I have no connection with other groups. Only our leaders have connections between
each other; this is for our security."

Abu Ayoub said that after he joined the Islamic Army it was much easier to receive support such as guns. He said there are "special people" whose work it
is to supply weapons. His duty is to use them to fight the enemy, he said.

When asked why he was fighting the US forces, he said: "I want you to pose this question to the US forces, not to me. They came from the other side of the
world and crossed the ocean to occupy my country. Bush and Blair lied to all the world when they spoke about weapons of mass destruction. All the world
knew very well their governments were lying, but no country said 'no'. Most of the world supported them to occupy my country."

Ayoub dismisses claims by US President George W Bush, closely parroted by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, that their goal in Iraq is to establish democracy
and liberate the Iraqi people.

"They don't have credibility. They came to Iraq for many reasons: to destroy Islam, steal oil, save the east front of Israel, control the Middle East and
establish bases near Iran and Russia. I want to ask them, 'Where is the democracy?' Three years of occupation and the Iraqi condition has gone from bad
to worse."

Ayoub is not just angry with the coalition forces. He believes it was wrong for Iraqis to join the new army or police force. "They are not a real army like
the Iraqi army before the occupation. The occupation forces built this new army to protect them from resistance. I think any honest Iraqi should not join
this fake army."

The army is acting against the people, he said. "You can see what they did in Fallujah. They were like a hand of the occupation. They killed many innocent
people there, and they did that in many other cities in Iraq, like Ramadi, Tal Afar, Hit, Rawa and Haditha. Go there and see how many children, old men
and women were killed by the Iraqi army's hand."

Abu Ayoub believes the police should be called a militia. "Ninety-five percent of them are Shi'ite and work with the Badr militia, and they work for Iran's
benefit. They killed many Sunni people just because they were Sunni, to create tensions between Sunni and Shi'ite, and to make civil war."

But Ayoub believes it is still not right to attack members of the Iraqi army and police. "First we must liberate Iraq from occupation forces, and then we
can judge each one of them who committed crimes."

There will be no civil war in Iraq if the occupation retreats, Abu Ayoub said. "We will control Iraq and push out all the militias and Iraqi politicians
who came on American tanks. Then we will find many honest Iraqi politicians to lead Iraq. But for now you can see how the Iraqi people are between two
hammers, the occupation and the militia - or even the Iraqi government, because they support them."

(Inter Press Service)

[Nicola]

Abu Ayoub believes the occupation cannot be ended either by a political process or by other peaceful means. Only Iraqis fighting back can liberate Iraq,

I can't see his idea working..so long has they keep killing..the USA will be there.
I doubt any of the armed forces want to be there...I expect they would rather be home with their loved ones.


he said. "The occupation forces will discover after this negotiation that nothing will change. The resistance will grow more and more until the end of
occupation. They came by force, and they will never leave, except by force."

Well he'll be in for a long wait. I can see Iran kicking off in the meantime!




Most of the world supported them to occupy my country."

like who?



Ayoub dismisses claims by US President George W Bush, closely parroted by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, that their goal in Iraq is to establish democracy
and liberate the Iraqi people.

Hopefully they Bush Blair now realise that the ME do not want democracy.



'Where is the democracy?' Three years of occupation and the Iraqi condition has gone from bad
to worse."

what a silly question...doesn't he realise why it's getting worse.


Ayoub is not just angry with the coalition forces. He believes it was wrong for Iraqis to join the new army or police force. "They are not a real army like
the Iraqi army before the occupation. The occupation forces built this new army to protect them from resistance. I think any honest Iraqi should not join
this fake army."


These people need money to live food for their families...also what state would it would be in without these men trying to keep some kind of law and order.



There will be no civil war in Iraq if the occupation retreats, Abu Ayoub said. "We will control Iraq and push out all the militias and Iraqi politicians
who came on American tanks. Then we will find many honest Iraqi politicians to lead Iraq. But for now you can see how the Iraqi people are between two
hammers, the occupation and the militia - or even the Iraqi government, because they support them."

It's close to civil now...and I'd like to know who "We" are.


I think this man is filled with so much anger and hate understandably so.. because of his brothers cruel murder. But you either have to let this kind of anger go or it will eat you alive...and destroy your own life.

[KAding]

So would the resistance stop fighting once the US military leaves the country? Or do it also want to bring down the new Iraqi political and security institutions?

[Nicola]

So would the resistance stop fighting once the US military leaves the country? Or do it also want to bring down the new Iraqi political and security institutions?

I think if the USA pull out...Iran will step in it's shoes.