Leading Iraqi Opposition Groups

Iraqi opposition groups meeting with Bush administration officials:

Iraqi National Congress: A London-based umbrella group of opposition figures created in 1992 and headed by longtime exile Ahmad Chalabi. The INC worked in northern Iraq until its 1996 ouster by President Saddam Hussein’s army, which prompted accusations that America failed to protect the group.

Iraqi National Accord: This London-based group of Iraqi exiles was involved in an unsuccessful 1996 coup attempt against Hussein. The group, which includes former military men, has had links with some U.S. intelligence.

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Democratic Party of Kurdistan: Estimated to have as many as 80,000 armed men organized into militias, the groups are leery of a U.S. attack against Hussein unless they are guaranteed continued autonomy in areas of northern Iraq now under their control. The factions are bitterly divided: The PUK is led by Jalal Talabani and the KDP by Massoud Barzani.

Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq: This Shiite group, which says it has 10,000 armed men inside Iraq, opposes any U.S.-backed effort to overthrow Hussein, instead supporting an Iraqi-led effort or one by other countries. Shiites are bitter that the U.S. did not help in their revolt against Hussein at the end of the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Constitutional Monarchy Movement: This movement’s goal is to return to the monarchy that existed before a July 1958 coup. It is led by Sharif Ali bin Hussein.