Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=04/29/2003

TYPE=ON THE LINE SHORT #1

NUMBER=1-01321

TITLE=IRAQ AND IRAN

INTERNET=Yes

EDITOR=OFFICE OF POLICY 619-0038

CONTENT= INSERTS IN DALET AND AUDIO SERVICES

THEME: UP, HOLD UNDER AND FADE

Host: Some three-hundred Iraqis representing the country's various ethnic, religious and political groups have met in Baghdad to lay the groundwork for a transitional government. There has been concern that some Shiites backed by Iran would try to undermine steps toward democracy in Iraq. U-S Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said, "A vocal minority clamoring to transform Iraq in Iran's image will not be permitted to do so. We will not allow the Iraqi people's democratic transition to be hijacked by those who might wish to instill another form of dictatorship."

Corine Hegland is a correspondent for The National Journal. She doubts that the majority of Iraqi Shiites would want Iranian-style clerical rule:

Hegland: The history of Shiite political philosophy within Iraq was predominantly secular. And it was not ruled by the clerics, like you have in Iran, but it was ruled by the state with the clerical council, which in the United States, you could perhaps compare to the Supreme Court --checking that the laws passed by the state do not contradict the Koran. That's the history within Iraq. Certainly the historical trends point toward a predominantly secular state with some sort of role for religion within it.

Host: Riva Levinson is a spokeswoman for the Iraqi National Congress. She says that the hatred of the U.S. espoused by Iran's clerical rulers has not struck a chord with newly liberated Iraqis:

Levinson: I think that the Iraqi people recognized that it was the United States that liberated them. And I think the majority of the people are very grateful to the United States. With respect to an Iranian-like theocracy in Iraq, I don't know if there's a historical example of any people that have willingly put a theocratic dictatorship in place when they have an opportunity for freedom. So again, I think we have to have confidence in those people that have suffered so much.

Host: Alireza Nourizadeh is director of the Center for Arab-Iranian studies. He thinks that a democratic Iraq will have much more political influence on Iran than Iran will have on Iraq:

Nourizadeh: The minority of unelected rulers in Iran, they are scared because they know if Iraq becomes a successful experience and the Iraqi people at the end of the day elect their own secular government, the Iranian people would grab the opportunity and they will follow the Iraqis.

Host: President George W. Bush has said that he hopes a democratic Iraq will set an example for other nations in the region. For On the Line, I'm --------------.