Letter: Rid Iraq of Saddam

Sir: I have read with great interest the reports that the British Government is in contact with the Iraqi opposition groups and particularly of the Minister of State at the Foreign Office Derek Fatchett's meeting with their representatives earlier this month.

I was not invited to that or any other meeting although I am one of the longest serving representatives of exiles in opposition and now chairman of the Free Iraqi Council, the most widely representative group of such exiles in opposition to Saddam Hussein.

Those invited were mainly the same individuals they met with on a number of occasions over the past seven years with, obviously, no visible results.

Nor have I yet received acknowledgement of a letter which I addressed to the Prime Minister, Mr Blair, on 20 November about the situation in Iraq suggesting action which he might consider in support of my fellow countrymen who are the only ones in a position to topple Saddam Hussein, that is living in Iraq, not in the security of exile.

Military containment of Iraq is within American and British capability at any time; the proposed continuation of the isolation of Iraq and its President can only strengthen the latter. A firmer platform might be created for those who might bring about a change if Britain and the United States now show as much determination to organise the distribution by the United Nations of humanitarian aid in Iraq as they have done in recent military action.

SAAD SALEH JABR

President

The Free Iraqi Council

London W8