Iraq Press Roundup

In its editorial Monday, the Association of Muslim Scholars' Al Basaer Newspaper said the occupation of Iraq was meant to be an economic, social and cultural occupation.

The editorial with the headline "The occupation of Iraq is the occupation of the entire nation" said the occupation aims to divide in order to drive the nation toward the U.S. agenda that serves Zionist security.

The paper, referring to Iran, said one country secretly supports the U.S. project and shows hostility in public, a fact illustrated by using security in Iraq as its playing cards to push for the division of Iraq.

It said the fifth anniversary of the occupation of Iraq has passed amid hostility from one leader, referring to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who appears to be against the United States while sending messages in Washington's favor.

"This visit reflected, in a positive way and through messages to Ahmadinejad's people, in the elections as it encouraged his voters to re-elect him as the first leader in the region to visit Iraq since the invasion," it said.

It said "this leader" was the first to acknowledge and admit the political process in Iraq. This acknowledgment and other international political games will not be a barrier for the Iraqi resistance to reveal the truth of the international plans, the paper said.

It said international and regional powers are the main players in this "contradictory equation."

"These players," the paper said, "were supported by the occupiers in order to achieve the latter's goals."

Al Basaer said it is known the U.S. administration's project, led by President Bush, is the dream of his wrecked empire to distribute oppression, terror, destruction and division in order to rule the world.

"Lies of owning weapons of mass destruction and a need for democracy were the occupiers' methods to achieve their aims using their supporters and agents in Iraq and the region," it said.

The paper said the world is aware such weapons didn't exist, and that what was achieved are 4,000 dead U.S. soldiers and the tens of thousands of wounded and disabled.

"This defeat took place due to the Iraqi people's resistance, a move that drove the occupier to arouse Iraqi minorities against each other as a means of weakening and lessening aggression toward U.S. forces," it said.

The paper said the U.S. public will not forgive their president for the human loss in addition to the $3 trillion spent so far and the collapse of the U.S. economy.

"The real game is played by the strong Iraqis who resisted the occupiers and caused these losses through the last five years, a lesson the U.S. administration should learn," it said.