Iraq: Profile of an ethnically and culturally diverse nation

U.S. forces arrested the self-proclaimed mayor of Baghdad on Sunday. Mohammed Mohsen Ali al-Zubaidi was charged with hampering coalition efforts to restore order to the Iraqi capital. Meanwhile, Iraqi officials discussed the country's future at an international meeting in Spain, and U.S. officials faced the task of organizing a country of widely varied and often conflicting interests.

Zubaidi was arrested after telling Iraqi utility workers not to return to their jobs without his approval. He also tried to take control of the country's water, power, sewer, and bank systems. Officials with the U.S. Central Command said Zubaidi attempted to exercise powers he did not have.

Meanwhile, the future of Iraq's government was the focus of a meeting in Madrid, Spain. More than 100 Iraqi officials were there to help develop the "Madrid Declaration," a document that calls for a "democratic system in Iraq." It also demands that former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein stand trial for crimes against humanity.

U.S. officials support the push for democracy in Iraq. Retired Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, the man in charge of rebuilding the Gulf nation, said that the coalition plans "to establish a framework inside which the [Iraqi] leadership could come up with their own plan" of government. However, a government for the Iraqi people would have to satisfy a diverse collection of interests.

SPECIAL REPORT • What will it cost to rebuild Iraq? • Oil will shape Iraq's future • What will happen to Iraq's debt? • Companies battle to rebuild Iraq • Mideast firms seek Iraq contracts • Russian taxis stranded • Gallery: A brief history of Iraq's oil • CNN/Money: Rebuilding Iraq RESOURCES • CNN.com: Coalition captures Iraqi inspections liaison  • CNN.com: Iraq opposition urges democracy  • CNN Special: The New Iraq - Transition of Power  • U.S. will block Iraqi theocracy  • Perspectives on Post War Iraq  • CIA World Factbook 2002: Iran  • CNNstudentnews.com: Islam Backgrounder  • Holt, Rinehart and Winston: The Persian Gulf and Interior

Iraq's current borders were determined after World War I. When the lines were drawn, officials did not take into account the differences between the area's religious and ethnic groups. As a result, three groups with a history of not getting along with one another were gathered together in a single country. Those groups included the Sunni Muslims, the Shiite Muslims, and the Kurds.

The vast majority (about 96 percent) of Iraqis are Muslim. About 62 percent are Shiite Muslims, and 34 percent are Sunni Muslims.

Both Sunnis and Shiites follow the teachings of the prophet Mohammad, who was succeeded by a series of caliphs, or Muslim rulers. However, Sunnis and Shiites disagree over whether Mohammad's fourth successor - a cousin named Ali - was the rightful man for the job.

Those who supported Ali were called Shia, which means "Party of Ali." Unlike Sunnis, Shiites insist that caliphs who followed Ali should be Ali's descendents. They added this insistence to the Muslim statement of faith.

Sunni means "path" or "way" and refers to a group that does not believe Ali was Mohammad's rightful successor.

Another group hoping to gain power in the new Iraq is an ethnic group of people called the Kurds. The Kurds have tried for decades to achieve autonomy (self-government).

Saddam Hussein's regime repeatedly prevented the Kurds from gaining independence and often used violence against the group. Since the 1991 Gulf War ended, the Kurds have been protected by the U.S. and have enjoyed a sense of autonomy. Garner said that what the Kurds have done in northern Iraq "could stand as a model" for the rest of the country.

The U.S. hopes Iraq's emerging government will represent all of the country's groups. One prominent political organization, the Iraqi National Congress, has considerable support from U.S. officials.

The Iraqi National Congress strongly opposed the regime of Saddam Hussein and was forced out of the country when Saddam was in power. However, the group re-entered Iraq after Saddam's regime collapsed.

The leader of the Iraqi National Congress, Ahmed Chalabi, is supported by many U.S. officials. However, many Iraqis see him as a puppet of the U.S. government and do not want him to lead Iraq.

Though some Iraqis are against any potential leadership with close ties to Western nations, others are afraid that if a democratic election were held today, it could create a theocracy - a government closely linked with religion. Shiite Muslims, who compose the country's majority, want a theocracy in place. But many other Iraqis and U.S. officials want the country to have a democratic government.

However, given the monumental task of stabilizing the Gulf nation, it is likely to take several months before even an interim (temporary) government can take power in Iraq.