Iraqis Meet to Discuss Country's Future
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour with an important milestone in the war in Iraq. Iraqi Shiite and Sunni Muslims, as well as Kurds, met for the first time today at a U.S.-sponsored forum to discuss the country's next government. It happened in the ancient Biblical city of Ur. But not everyone welcomed the meeting. CNN's John Vause is in nearby Nasiriyah with details.</s>JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the first of many meetings which the U.S. will hold around Iraq. They're meeting with Iraqi opposition groups, as well as exile groups. And they describe it as basically an informal chat, a chance to listen to their views, as they work towards a forming this interim Iraqi authority. But, already, the deep divisions within this community are beginning to emerge. We know that the majority Shiites have banned or boycotted attending this meeting, although a number of Shiites did in fact show up. But the majority did not. We also know that Chalabi, Ahmad Chalabi, the leader of the Iraqi National congress, an exile group who many see as a possible future leader of Iraq, he did not attend this and said he sent a delegate to this meeting in his place. Now, getting back to the Shiite Muslims, we know that, earlier today here in Nasiriyah, thousands protested in the streets. They feel that, basically, they are already being left out. This is not a good sign for the United States. This is the first meeting. And, already, we're seeing the first big demonstration. They believe that their voices are not being heard, that they are not -- they are basically protesting this meeting which is taking place just a few miles away from the city center of Nasiriyah. There are many, many issues for these opposition groups and Iraqi leaders to tackle in the coming months, mainly, how long will the United States stay there, what kind of interim authority it will be, what kind of government it will ultimately take place who will take over, basically, from Jay Garner, the retried U.S. Army general who is now in charge, according to the Pentagon, for rebuilding Iraq. Many issues as well: Many Iraqis do not want the coalition forces to stay. Many, though, do want coalition forces to stay to try and prevent looting and to try and provide some kind of security. There's been a lot of looting and a lot of crimes committed since the fall of the Baath Party and Saddam Hussein, so many people hoping that the United States and Britain will stay here in the short term. But it seems that nobody wants the United States here for any period of time. In fact, they say, an Iraqi government which is not led by Iraqis is nothing more than colonization.