Interview With a Major Player in Iraqi Government
— -- On June 27, 2006, ABC News' Miguel Marquez interviewed Abdul Aziz al Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a Shiite group with historical ties to the Iranians.
Here is a transcript of the interview:
Miguel Marquez: Your eminence, thank you for meeting with us today. President Bush was recently here. I did not see it reported anywhere but did you meet with him?
Al Hakim: Unfortunately, I was outside the country, and one of my representatives met with him.
Marquez: What would be your message to President Bush? It has been three years since the war and the U.S. -- I don't want to say is firmly in control -- but certainly seems to exercise a high degree of control here. What would be your message to the president right now about what the U.S. is doing here?
Al Hakim: I would like to tell Mr. Bush to work on listening to the Iraqi opinions and views, and the policies adopted by the Iraqis. If those opinions weren't acceptable then we couldn't have reached where we are now. This stage is transferring the control to the Iraqis.
Marquez: I am sure you are aware that there is a very big debate in the United States about whether or not the troops should be put on some sort of timetable to withdraw. Is it time for the U.S. to begin to draw down its forces and allow the patriotic forces … the Iraqi forces to take over security in Iraq? And how soon does that need to happen?
Al Hakim: I think this is the general frame of it. There are many details which should be considered for these plans and policies. I do not think we have followed this policy in facing the terrorists.
Marquez: In a year's time do you think American troops will need to be here?
Al Hakim: There is a desire to hasten the withdrawal of forces because it is clear the Iraqi people, just like anyone else, does [sic]not want foreign troops on their lands. We must all work to find the solution to hasten the withdrawal of these forces from Iraq.
Marquez: You are a very powerful man in this country and I get the sense that you feel that American troops should not be here at this point, but there is still a security necessity to having them here. How long do you think the necessity will be here? I don't see things security wise getting any better here.
