In light of the growing violence and civil unrest inside of Iraq, the situation which has been brought to the door steps of both the US/UK administrations, goes to actually prove the need for a democratically elected government inside of Iraq and a full restoration of the countries national sovereignty.

The sobering reality of people being kidnapped, bombs exploding out side of hotels, armed militia roaming the streets, troops being injured and killed and civilians being made targets, is a far cry from the cheers of jubilation, that came with the fall of Saddam Hussein's statue only last year.

The growth of militancy inside of Iraq, whilst it is being directed against the occupying powers and those who are seen as supporting the occupation, this movement has been given a fertile breeding ground, through the absence of both the dictatorship and democracy.
It has been able to draw on the support from sections of the now disbanded army, trends from Saddam's' Ba'th Party and others, but what has driven ordinary Iraqi people into the hands of insurgent forces has been the full scale take over of Iraq's economic and social fabric by the USA.

Considering the talk that went on after the fall and subsequent capture of Saddam Hussein, the talk of freedom, peace, democracy and prosperity, the only groups that seem to have benefited from the occupation, are those who sit on the governing council and those who have been awarded reconstruction contracts.

If the powers that be are genuinely interested in winning the greater peace, it is the opinion of the Iraq Solidarity Campaign, that the US/UK should first remove all troops from Iraq and in the interests of a viable democracy, allow the people to determine their own economic and political futures.

Yours sincerely,
Mr. Hussein Al-alak.
Chair,
The Iraq Solidarity Campaign