Sunni Leader: America is 'Main Irritant' in Iraq

Sheikh Harith al-Dhari, head of the Association of Muslim Scholars, is arguably one of the most influential Iraqi Sunni leaders today.

His unequivocal opposition to the US-led occupation and criticism of the Nouri al-Maliki government attracted threats against his life and forced him into exile.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, al-Dhari says the slight improvement in the security situation in Iraq "is due to a decision by the Iraqi government to reign in its death squads".

He concedes that the "resistance has temporarily" retreated in the face of US-funded al-Sahwa (Awakening Council) militias "but that the resistance is regrouping and will bounce back".

Al-Dhari, who hails from a family reputed for its role in the nationalist resistance against British occupation in the 1920s, says the US presence has allowed other powers to meddle in the country's affairs. He belives an US withdrawal will solve many of his country's present woes.

Ahmed Janabi: How do you view the recent US and Iraqi reports about the improved security situation?

Harith Al-Dhari: Yes, we can say the security situation has slightly improved. The reason for that lies in the fact that George Bush needs to present some sort of success to his people, and it is the same with the current Iraqi government. Both have realised that the tense situation in Iraq would do them no good. Hence, the Iraqi government ordered its death squads to halt their attacks on people. That's all.

Janabi: What is your evidence that the government operated those "death squads"?

Al-Dhari: We will reveal the evidence at the right time. However, the fact that those squads are the armed wings of ruling parties like the Islamic Supreme Council is evidence that the government backed them. The fact that they targeted neighbourhoods and specific people who oppose Nouri al-Maliki, should tell us something.

There are hundreds of witnesses who spoke to media about squads active during curfew hours and using police cars and equipment. How many people claimed their relatives were taken by men dressed in police uniforms and nobody saw them later on? We believe those are clear evidence of government support to the death squads which terrorised our people.

Janabi: How do you explain the security situation improving in areas like al-Anbar province and the lull in Iraqi resistance operations?

Al-Dhari: Al-Qaeda fighters have committed grave mistakes in Iraq; mistakes that were enough to create a backlash against them and initiate what has become known as al-Sahwa, where the US military and the Iraqi government offer three-month contracts to fund the greed of some tribal leaders, who in their turn arm and fund needy tribesmen to fight al-Qaeda.

The al-Sahwa phenomenon has been presented to the people as "tribal forces fighting al-Qaeda." But as they are US-funded, the tribesmen have been instructed to fight the Iraqi resistance as well. That is why resistance attacks against US forces have eased a bit.

Some al-Sahwa leaders like Ahmad Abu Risha and Hamid al-Hayes have bluntly said that they are against anyone carrying a gun, although al-Sahwa fighters themselves comprise the private militias.

I think the resistance has chosen to back off and not engage al-Sahwa militias to avoid internicine fighting. They are regrouping now and for sure will bounce back.

Janabi: How serious is Iranian influence in Iraq?

Al-Dhari: The US occupation is responsible for letting others meddle in Iraq's issues. There are many parties who stick their noses in our business one of whom is Israel, which works undercover in Iraq.

The other party is Iran. Iran's influence is cancerous. It meddles in every aspect of life in Iraq. Its influence on Iraq's ruling parties is not a secret. The Al-Daawa party of al-Maliki, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq [headed by Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim], and Iraqi Kurdish parties are ruling parties and all of them were either funded by or established in Iran.