The following are excerpts from an interview by Iraqi Shi'ite Leader Muqtada Al-Sadr that aired on Al-Jazeera TV on February 18, 2006.
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Interviewer: "How would you describe the military presence of the American and allied forces in Iraq?"
Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Occupation. It is occupation, regardless of whether it is a foreign, Arab, or Islamic country. In all cases, it is occupation. Therefore, all the talk and all the rumors that if the American forces leave - or even if they don't leave - Islamic or Arab forces will enter - they, too, will be occupiers."
Interviewer: "Occupiers?!"
Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Yes, occupiers."
Interviewer: "So if these forces leave and Arab Islamic forces enter..."
Muqtada Al-Sadr: "It will be worse than with the foreign forces, because I can fight and resist the foreign forces. But if Arab or Islamic forces come in, how could I possibly turn against an Arab or Muslim? This is a difficult situation. This is why we have such a hard time with those who support the occupation. We cannot fight and kill them, because they are Iraqis."
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Interviewer: "There is a certain scenario - or perhaps requests - that Arab or even Islamic forces enter Iraq. You will surely reject them?"
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Muqtada Al-Sadr: "I am the first to oppose them."
Interviewer: "Why? They would not come as occupiers..."
Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Did America come as an occupier? It came as a liberator. Same thing. It's the same problem. It entered as a liberator, and became an occupier. You can enter Iraq as liberators, and become occupiers. In a few years, it will be like when America came to get [Syria] out of Lebanon, and Syria is considered an occupier, while America is not considered an occupier of Iraq. Why these double standards? America is the 'liberator' of Iraq, while Syria is the 'occupier' of Lebanon. Iran is forbidden to have a nuclear program, while Israel is allowed. Attacking the Jews is forbidden, while attacking Allah's Prophet is allowed. Look at these double standards. To sum up, we don't want any forces.
"The Iraqi people is capable of building Iraq. It is the occupier that prevents the building of Iraqi police and army. These forces do not receive money or weapons. We demanded that funds and weapons be transferred to the Iraqi army, but the occupier prevented this, in order to maintain its pretext for staying in Iraq."
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Interviewer: "You have said that the American and allied forces are occupation forces. Does this mean that resisting them militarily is legitimate?"
Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Ask Bush. He is the one who legitimized it. He said: 'If my country was occupied, I would fight.' Even the occupier himself acknowledges the legitimacy of resistance. Allah acknowledged the legitimacy of resistance, and he claims to be sent by Allah. Look how extremist he is, while we are forbidden to be extremists. They consider demonstrations to be 'violence,' but the bombardment of cities is not considered violence. It is all double standards."
Interviewer: "Is Al-Zarqawi, with all these capabilities, real, or is he an illusion?"
Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Personally, I believe he is fictitious. He is a knife or a pistol in the hands of the occupier.
"I believe that all three - the occupation, the takfir [i.e. the practice of declaring other Muslims to be heretics] supporters, and the Saddam supporters - stem from the same source, because the takfir supporters and the Saddam supporters are a weapon in the hands of America. America pins its crimes on them. The supporters of Saddam and of the takfir are too cowardly to fight, and if they are not cowards, they fight the Shi'ites, the Sunnis, and Islam, rather than fighting the occupier."
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"I am at the service of Islam and of the Islamic countries. Any service they need, whether in good times or bad, I am willing to provide - whether in Syria, which is subject to pressure, or in Iran, which faces pressure on the [nuclear] issue. I have said that I would defend all the Islamic and Arab countries."
Interviewer: "What does this mean in practice? Forget about the 'good times.' What does it mean in 'bad times,' as far as Iran and Syria are concerned? There is a clear political conflict that may become a military conflict, especially with Iran."
Muqtada Al-Sadr: "True, but they must ask me to provide that service, unlike some countries that come here to resist the occupation, and end up killing civilians. One must get a country's permission before helping it. Iran needs to be asked how it wants this help, and I will provide it.
"Syria needs to be asked how it wants this help, and I will provide it. Jordan needs to be asked how it wants this help, and I will provide it. It is not for me to decide this type of aid. They need to decide."
Interviewer: "Let's assume you are asked to provide help by confronting the American forces in Iraq."
Muqtada Al-Sadr: "If I have the ability, I will provide [this service]. Why shouldn't I? If I do not serve Islam, then who will I serve?"
