Najib Salehi of the Iraqi Supreme Committee Criticizes Terror attacks in Iraq on Iranian TV

Najib Salehi, member of the 100-member Iraqi Supreme Committee acting as Iraq's parliament, Nahad Hattar, Jordanian Journalist and Ali Hamada, Lebanese Journalist debated the legitmacy of terror attacks in Iraq on the Al-'Alam TV, an Iranian TV channel, broadcasting in Arabic to the Arab world. Following are excerpts:

Najib Salehi: True, all the Iraqi people oppose the occupation, and especially, since the Americans themselves announced that they are occupiers. But not all Iraqis agree that the resistance to this occupation should be armed and violent, like in Southern Lebanon and other countries. The Iraqi situation is unique. There is a plan for the American withdrawal. They will withdraw from the cities and then from the bases. There are several ways of resistance. It need not, as a rule, begin with bombings, killing and violent operations. I also want the Americans to leave my country, the sooner the better, as we say. But this? I mean those who operate in my way? We cannot turn to violence targeted at killing Iraqis only because they are about to join the Iraqi army and assist the occupation after it withdraws from the cities. It is an inhuman, wrong operation no one in Iraq justifies it.

Nahed Hattar, a Jordanian Journalist: Most operations in Iraq target Americans and are highly successful. Even the Americans acknowledge this. Second, some of these operations target the oil lines repeatedly.These operations are also at the heart of the resistance whose aim is to prevent the establishment of a pro-American administration, or one that collaborates with the Americans in Iraq. Third, this kind of operation against police stations and army recruitment offices have a political context. their purpose it so to remind the people not to cooperate with a collaborating authority. The Iraqi army and police are today no longer the same Iraqi national apparatuses and the current Iraqi government is collaborating with the US, headed by a CIA employee. True, he's protected by the Americans. But, whoever collaborates with this government, one way or another, is an American agent and I can understand why the resistance eliminates him, just as I can understand why it attacks all the foreigners entering Iraq. As long as Iraq is occupied, as long as the US is occupying Iraq, all foreigners participating in (the occupation) of Iraq, in military forces, in economic projects or in any other way, are legitimate targets for the resistance.

'Ali Hamada Lebanese Journalist: When he describes this or that administration, this or that authority, this or that apparatus, as a collaborator ? I ask him simply: "Where are you talking from? From Amman?! How do you describe the rulers in Amman? The security apparatuses in Amman? The regime in Amman? The army in Amman The intelligence in Amman? The joint industrial and trade zone between Jordan and Israel?