LONDON Ñ Iraqi opposition groups have formed a new coalition to
coordinate efforts to topple the regime of President Saddam Hussein.
The umbrella group, called the Iraqi National Forces Coalition in
Britain, was announced in London and aims to coordinate all Iraqi opposition
organizations with envoys in the country. The coalition is composed of 13
groups, including democratic activists, Islamists and nationalists, Middle East Newsline reported.
In an unprecedented move, the coalition's statement was published in the
official Iraqi daily Babel, published by Saddam's son, Uday. The statement
was published on page one on Wednesday as part of a warning to Iraqi
military defectors not to attend discuss the overthrow of Saddam.
A statement by the new coalition said it would seek to unite efforts of
Iraqi opposition groups to increase their effectiveness. The group called
for preserving the territorial integrity and independence of Iraq.
It is not clear whether the coalition is meant to supersede other Iraqi
coalitions, including the Iraqi National Congress. The INC, which obtains
about $10 million a year in U.S. funding, is also based in London.
The coalition outlined its vision of an Iraq after Saddam. The statement
said a future Iraqi regime would protect human rights as well as the rights
for such minorities as the Assyrians, Kurds and Turkmens.
The group dismissed the intervention by foreign powers to determine the
future of Iraq. The statement said this is the sole responsibility of
Iraqis.
On Wednesday, U.S. and British fighter-jets, supported by two
early-warning aircraft, flew over northern and southern Iraq. The Iraqi News
Agency said allied warplanes carried out 32 sorties in the south and 14 over
the north.
