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Length: 2:38
MICHAEL WARE, CNN
CORRESPONDENT: Amidst a wave of guerilla attacks for
the holy month of Ramadan, and a spiraling American
death toll, one of Iraq's most significant insurgent
groups has reiterated its willingness to negotiate
with U.S. forces.
The renewed offer of dialogue comes from the Islamic
Army of Iraq, a leading member of one of the most
powerful factions within the insurgency. Using known
Islamic army insurgent channels, questions were
passed to the network's leadership.
Their response to CNN came in a professionally
produced video which obscured the speaker's face.
That speaker is purported to be Ibrahim al-Shimary,
the group's official spokesman. While his identity
cannot be confirmed, the voice is consistent with
audio statements released previously on the Internet.
In the interview, the spokesman gives what is
possibly the most articulate address to a Western
audience to emerge from the Iraq war, displaying a
keen understanding of domestic politics in America.
IBRAHIM AL-SHIMARY (through translator): We in the
Islamic Army, as we have announced many times, do not
reject the principle of negotiations with the
Americans. But only if the Americans are serious.
WARE: In the wide-ranging question-and-answer, he
canvases the group's relationship with al Qaeda, the
state of the sectarian conflict, and one of the
greatest motivations driving many Sunni insurgent
groups: combating Iranian influence in Iraq, which he
says amounts to a dual occupation of the country.
IBRAHIM AL-SHIMARY (through translator): America and
Iran have occupied Iraq. America is the disease that
caused the infection, which is the Iranian
occupation. But now the infection has become even
more dangerous than the disease.
WARE: Speaking directly to the American public, he
urges people to question President Bush's record on
Iraq, vowing the will of the insurgents is far from
broken. A promise this war has a long way to go.
Michael Ware, CNN, Baghdad.