SENIOR EXECUTIVE INTELLIGENCE BRIEF

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629374
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: December 11, 2017
• Case Number: F-2016-02334
• Publication Date: December 13, 2002

Approved for Release: 2017/11/28 C06629374
SENIOR EXECUTIVE INTELLIGENCE BRIEF
13 December 2002
PASS SEIB 02-289CHX
Iraq: Opposition To Highlight Unity at Conference
Key members of the Iraqi opposition probably regard their meeting in London this weekend as
their best opportunity in the past decade to position themselves to participate in shaping a
successor government and are publicly willing to set aside differences, at least temporarily.
Some 300 people are expected to attend the conference, approximately the same number who
attended earlier ones in 1992 and 1999.
-- The latest conference will be attended by the Iranian-backed Supreme Council for the
Islamic Revolution in Iraq, an Iraqi Shia umbrella group which did not attend the 1999
conference and has been wary of contact with the US.
The conference is likely to result in a statement calling for a democratic, unified Iraq in
compliance with UN Security Council resolutions and create an advisory committee to pursue
this objective. These measures could improve the opposition's image and strengthen public
diplomacy efforts that highlight Iraqi regime abuses and counter Iraqi propaganda.
-- Conference documents are consistent with US policy objectives in Iraq
and organizers appear united on the message the conference is intended to
send.
-- The 1992 and 1999 conferences produced general statements of commitment to
overthrowing Saddam and establishing a democratic Iraq but were not followed up with
unified antiregime actions.
Infighting and divisions within the opposition remain significant,
Participants as of yesterday had yet to agree on the number of independent attendees, and several
groups were pressing for their own lists of invitees.
-- Some Sunni oppositionists have complained that the conference is dominated by Shias
and Kurds, which they believe will play badly with Iraqis who fear sectarian civil war or
revenge killings if Saddam is removed.
TECQ
Approved for Release: 2017/11/28 C06629374