Prominent Iraqi opposition leader Mashan al Jebouri, currently in charge of the city of Mosul, described the US forces in the northern Iraqi city as occupying forces. He confirmed Wednesday to Al Bawaba in a telephone conversation that normal life has started to return to the city, however, there were still isolated pockets of looting that are being dealt with.
“Calm is now prevailing in the city. The Iraqi police have tried to make arrests, including the detention of several thieves, however those plans were thwarted when the American forces shot at a crowd killing some people,” said the chief of the Syrian based Al Watan party, and now the Mayor of Mosul. He added that shops in the city and the University of Mosul have now been reopened, in addition to the availability of potable water and electricity.
Responding to a question about coordination between the local administration, of which he is in charge of, and the US forces, he said, “the American military command in the city has a different task; they are an occupation force…and we have the responsibility of running the city while providing the necessary humanitarian services.”
He said coordination is there, but it is not as someone would imagine. “Iraqis entered the city to liberate it while the American soldiers are an occupying force. We are all now under occupation. The people in the city did not fight us (during the war) as we share the same objective [of toppling Saddam’s regime], but the Americans are invaders and occupiers,” added Jebouri. “We are trying to deal with this burden [of occupation] as much as we can in Mosul.”
Jebouri, who before the US invasion lived in Damascus, also confirmed that the Iraqi soldiers who surrendered to the US and Kurdish forces are now free in their homes, and non of the pro-Saddam regime supporters have been detained.
The Al Watan party leader also said that he does not know of any ‘details’ about the meeting held in Tuesday Nassiriya, in which delegates representing opposition, tribal and independent leaders participated. He slammed the meeting by saying that it could well be a private gathering for those who are willing to support and work with the leader of the Iraqi National Conference - Ahmed al Chalabi. (Albawaba.com)
