To all Political Forces of all the Countries.

After ten years of embargo, during the month of March 2003, Iraq was invaded by foreign troops. The aggressive States declared they had to make war upon Iraq to prevent the use and the diffusion of weapons of mass destruction. It was later proved that these weapons didn't anymore exist in Iraq and the dossiers supporting the opposite turned out to be fake. In the mean time Iraq remained occupied by foreign armies that caused numerous victims, first of all civilians, poverty, fear and desperation among the Iraqi People.

The occupying States provided Iraq with the 8^th of March 2004 law, concerning the management of the transitional period, which established the conditions and the stages of the Country's democratisation process. The first elections are scheduled to take place within the end of January 2005. At the end of June 2004, the forces occupying Iraq installed an interim Government formed by persons they trusted.

But the foreign Forces haven't left the Country. This is the only reason why part of the Iraqi People fight with Moqtada Al Sadr, not to bar the way towards democracy, not for vengeance spirit, not for money, not for revenge, not for personal power, but just as rebellion against an occupation they believe to be unjust. The people rebelling today are the same that rebelled against Saddam Hussein, the same that didn't want war against Iran and Kuwait, the same that have already suffered enormous costs for freedom.

That’s how: Moqtada Al Sadr and his supporters' struggle is first of all a fight for the freedom of the Iraqi People from any kind of foreign occupation. He declared to me he wants to fight terrorism and violence under any shape and whichever part it comes from, he doesn't want to deal with politics and he has one only aim: freedom for the Iraqi People.

This is why, the only reason Moqtada Al Sadr was attacked. While I was in Nayaf, the American soldiers shot the car they fought was carrying him, killing the driver. During last May, I asked him to lay down arms. Thinking that the foreign military forces would have left, he did it. Instead, at the end of July, the United States Army besieged him. At that point, pride and freedom spirit prevailed.

To attack Moqtada Al Sadr in Najaf means to Attack Shiites in their Holy City. This can't be tolerated, not just by the Iraqi Shiites but also from the Shiites of all the other Countries. This happens in Iraq. To transform this Country in to a terrorists home wasn't enough. To make the whole world pay the cost of the war in Iraq wasn't enough. Now Muslims' Holy War is being provoked against all the others.

Foreign military forces have to leave Iraq. The Iraqi people's exponents and Religious Authorities can stop terrorism and bring back order without weapons and violence.

Reality needs to be understood. At least ten million Iraqis have weapons. Millions of people with weapons are about to join the fight and who fights for freedom.

You, all of you, Gentlemen, can and have to intervene so that foreign military forces will leave Iraq. Do it, before it will be too late and before the irreparable happens. Do it for the Iraqi People and for your People.

Thanks for the attention.

August the 11^th, 2004.

                                                                             Rodolfo Marusi Guareschi