Speech delivered by Dr Barham Salih to The Socialist International (SI) Council, Rome

(Barham Salih is the Prime Minister, Kurdistan Regional Government - Iraq)

• January 20th, 2003

  (This speech is over a year old now - but well worth re-reading.)

"So to those who say `No War`, I say, of course "yes", but we can only have "No War" if there is `No Dictatorship` and `No Genocide`.

"Friends, there will be no war on Iraq. There will be, AND MUST BE, a liberation of Iraq. You have a role to play in that liberation, for your values, the values of the Socialist movement, are utterly opposed to the values of dictatorship and racism. Let us join together in the spirit of solidarity that has always animated Socialists, to make Iraq and the Middle East a place of freedom and peace.

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A Plea from the people of Iraq

No one wants a war in Iraq less than the Iraqi people. But we don't have the luxury of being anti-war.

• by Dr Barham Salih (March 10, 2003)

also worth re-reading.

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The Kurdish Dream

March 2003

"Today, we fight alongside you because in a world of cynicism, the U.S., and its genuine allies, understand that they cannot use the Kurdish dead to justify this war and then sell out the Kurdish living. We have been sickened to hear those who armed Saddam preach to us about the horrors of war, to listen to those who helped prop up the dictator prate about international law." - By Barham Salih

The Wall Street Journal March 21, 2003

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What the Kurds Want

• April 22, 2003

Barham Salih

The transition in Iraq will not be easy, and must be assessed in its proper context. Iraq's decimated civil society - coupled with the many external influences - will inevitably make the transition a rather complicated process. The future of Iraq is of consequence not only to the people of Iraq, but also the wider Middle East and beyond. The stakes cannot be any higher: for those of us who would like the Islamic Middle East to aspire toward more democracy, as well as for those who seek to maintain the status quo.

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SPEECH BY BARHAM SALIH TO THE COUNCIL OF THE SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL MADRID

• February 7TH, 2004

I as a Kurd and as an Iraqi, I know, perhaps more than others, that war is devastating and should be questioned. However, for us, this war was to end the brutal war that has been waged against the people of Iraq. It was a war to bring us the opportunity of peace and freedom. And I will tell you unequivocally we are grateful to the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Poland, Italy and So many other nations that have come from a far to deliver us from tyranny and fascism. Moreover, being here in Spain I must offer our profound gratitude to the Spaniards who have come to help in our hour of need, and paid with their lives for freedom and justice.

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