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Tuesday, March 18, 2003
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Here is what an actual Iraqi has to say about the upcoming war:
[RANT]
No one inside Iraq is for war (note I said war not a change of regime), no human being in his right mind will ask you to give him the beating of his life, unless you are a member of fight club that is, and if you do hear Iraqi (in Iraq, not expat) saying "come on bomb us" it is the exasperation and 10 years of sanctions and hardship talking. There is no person inside Iraq (and this is a bold, blinking and underlined inside) who will be jumping up and down asking for the bombs to drop. We are not suicidal you know, not all of us in any case.
I think that the coming war is not justified (and it is very near now, we hear the war drums loud and clear if you don't then take those earplugs off!). The excuses for it have been stretched to their limits they will almost snap. A decision has been made sometime ago that "regime change" in Baghdad is needed and excuses for the forceful change have to be made. I do think war could have been avoided, not by running back and forth the last two months, that's silly. But the whole issue of Iraq should have been dealt with differently since the first day after GW I.
The entities that call themselves "the international community" should have assumed their responsibilities a long time ago, should have thought about what the sanctions they have imposed really meant, should have looked at reports about weapons and human rights abuses a long time before having them thrown in their faces as excuses for war five minutes before midnight.
What is bringing on this rant is the question that has been bugging for days now: how could "support democracy in Iraq" become to mean "bomb the hell out of Iraq"? why did it end up that democracy won't happen unless we go thru war? Nobody minded an un-democratic Iraq for a very long time, now people have decided to bomb us to democracy? Well, thank you! how thoughtful.
The situation in Iraq could have been solved in other ways than what the world will be going thru the next couple of weeks. It can't have been that impossible. Look at the northern parts of Iraq, that is a model that has worked quite well, why wasn't anybody interested in doing that in the south. Just like the US/UK UN created a protected area there why couldn't the model be tried in the south. It would have cut off the regimes arms and legs. And once the people see what they have been deprived off they will not be willing to go back, just ask any Iraqi from the Kurdish areas. Instead the world watched while after the war the Shias were crushed by Saddam's army in a manner that really didn't happen before the Gulf War. Does anyone else see the words (Iran/not in the US interest) floating or is it me hallucinating?
And there is the matter of Sanctions. Now that Iraq has been thru a decade of these sanctions I can only hope that their effects are clear enough for them not to be tried upon another nation. Sanctions which allegedly should have kept a potentially dangerous situation in Iraq in check brought a whole nation to its knees instead. And who ultimately benefited from the sanctions? Neither the international community nor the Iraqi people, he who was in power and control still is. These sanctions made the Iraqi people hostages in the hands of this regime, tightened an already tight noose around our necks. A whole nation, a proud and learned nation, was devastated not by the war but by sanctions. Our brightest and most creative minds fled the country not because of oppression alone but because no one inside Iraq could make a living, survive. And can anyone tell me what the sanctions really did about weapons? Get real, there are always willing nations who will help, there are always organizations which will find his money sweet. Oil-for-Food? Smart Sanctions? Get a clue. Who do you think is getting all those contracts to supply the people with "food"? who do you think is heaping money in bank accounts abroad? It is his people, his family and the people who play his game. Abroad and in Iraq, Iraqis and non-Iraqis.
What I mean to say is that things could have been different; I can't help look at the Northern parts of Iraq with envy and wonder why.
Do support democracy in Iraq. But don't equate it with war. What will happen is something that could/should have been avoided. Don't expect me to wear a [I heart bush] t-shirt. Support democracy in Iraq not by bombing us to hell and then trying to build it up again (well that is going to happen any way) not by sending human shields (let's be real the war is going to happen and Saddam will use you as hostages), but by keeping an eye on what will happen after the war.
To end this rant, a word about Islamic fundis/wahabisim/qaeda and all that.
Do you know when the sight of women veiled from top to bottom became common in cities in Iraq? Do you know when the question of segregation between boys and girls became red hot? When tribal law replaced THE LAW? When Wahabi became part of our vocabulary?
It only happened after the Gulf War. I think it was Cheney or Albright who said they will bomb Iraq back to the stone age, well you did. Iraqis have never accepted religious extremism in their lives. They still don't. Wahabis in their short dishdasha are still looked upon as sheep who have strayed from the herd. But they are spreading. The combination of poverty/no work/low self esteem and the bitterness of seeing people who rose to riches and power without any real merit but having the right family name or connection shook the whole social fabric. Situations which would have been unacceptable in the past are being tolerated today.
They call it "al hamla al imania -- the religious campaign" of course it was supported by the government, pumping them with words like "poor in this life, rich in heaven" kept the people quiet. Or the other side of the coin is getting paid by Wahabi organizations. Come pray and get paid, no joke, dead serious. If the government can't give you a job run to the nearest mosque and they will pay and support you. This never happened before, it is outrageous. But what are people supposed to do? thir government is denied funds to pay proper wages and what they get is funneled into their pockets. So please stop telling me about the fundis, never knew what they are never would have seen them in my streets.
[/RANT]
2:12:22 PM 
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US invasion of Iraq 'inevitable'. Washington says it will go into Iraq to disarm it even if Saddam Hussein leaves the country. [BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition]
The United States says American forces will enter Iraq to search for weapons of mass destruction even if President Saddam Hussein complies with an ultimatum to leave.
President George W Bush's spokesman Ari Fleischer said that allied troops would go into the country "no matter what", but warned the Iraqi leader that if he did not leave it would be his "final mistake".
Well, I was right about that, unfortunately.
2:09:49 PM
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Colonialism 101. American hawks have been praising Tony Blair as a new Churchill. James Pinkerton explains why that's not such a compliment,... [Hit & Run]
Some history of a previous "liberation" of Iraq.
11:41:55 AM
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Tales From The Front. The latest missive from Captain Steve has been posted -- Part V -- even though it arrived late (sorry, some kind of server glitch, maybe).
Captain Steve has asked me to post your letters, so mail away, folks.
I wish I was there, instead of him.
Wars should be fought by bitter old farts like me, not by the young. [Kim du Toit]
On that last point I am in complete agreement. Further, I'll point out that even if you're too old to enlist in the US military, there's nothing stopping you from picking up your rifle and going off to Iraq on your own, if you're so inclined.
11:32:43 AM
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Tony's true agenda. I may just have stumbled upon the reason for Mr.Blair's enthusiasm to occupy Iraq. Having successfully disarmed the British, he is now on his way to do the same to the Iraqis: Guns are very common in Iraq. Even so, gun shop owners say business has risen by 25 percent over the past month, with cheap pistols priced under $100 in highest demand. The shops are not allowed to sell assault rifles, but store owners... [Samizdata.net]
The Crusaders over in England have finally caught on to the availability of guns in Iraq. Not surprisingly, the comments show a strong desire to pretend that it doesn't mean anything.
8:49:13 AM
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Killer Bug Looks Like a Virus. Health experts believe a deadly flu-like illness that has killed nine people is likely a virus. They're also encouraged that some victims seem to be recovering. [Wired News]
With all the government-created hysteria about terrorists with biological weapons, it's worth pointing out that this naturally-occuring disease has already killed more people than terrorists with biological weapons ever have.
8:35:39 AM
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Jacob G. Hornberger at The Future of Freedom Foundation -
Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Saddam? - Mr. Hornberger is not
afraid of Saddam Hussein. You shouldn't be either. You should,
however, be very afraid of George Bush and his henchmen. [rrnd]
I have a confession to make: I'm not afraid of Saddam Hussein. Not
a bit. I have absolutely no fear that the man is going to come and get
me or that he is going to spray biological or chemical weapons on me
or that he will send someone to do the dirty deed for him. I don't
even fear the possibility that Saddam will nuke me.
...
Why are so many Americans terrified of Saddam Hussein? There is one
-- and only one -- reason: U.S. government propaganda. Day after
day, U.S. officials, from the president on down, have pounded a deep
and abiding fear of Saddam into the minds of the American people.
[End the War on Freedom]
8:26:58 AM
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Time to Renounce the United Nations?. Our anticipated war in Iraq has been condemned by many around the world for the worst of all reasons: namely, that America is acting without United Nations approval. The obvious implication is that an invasion of Iraq is illegitimate without such approval, but magically becomes legitimate when UN bureaucrats grant their blessing. Most Americans rightfully resent this arrogant attitude toward our national sovereignty and donât care what the UN thinks about our war plans. Perhaps our heritage as a nation of people who do not take kindly to being told what to do is intact. Still, only the most ardent war hawks connected with the administration have begun to discuss complete withdrawal from the UN. I have advocated this for twenty years, and have introduced legislation to that effect. [Ron Paul's Texas Straight Talk]
8:13:47 AM
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Hugo Chavez' curious silence on a possible attack on Iraq.
Hugo Chavez is an opinionated big mouth, whose Cabinet contains a number of equally irresponsible Ministers who can not only give extremely cynical opinions, but can defend any subject as long as it favors their rule and control over Venezuela. It is thus quite surprising that after months of the US pressing the UN for an invasion of Iraq, the Chavez administration and none of his Ministers or high officials has actually said much about the possibility of a US attack on Iraq, much less condem it. The question is not simply an academic one; after all, Hugo Chávez remains the only Head of State to visit Saddam Hussein in Baghdad since the 1991 Desert Storm operation. Thus, we wonder what explains the silence and ponder some possible explanations.
First of all, since Chavez and his Government have shown so little sympathy for the US Government, it canât be that they do not want to offend US sensibilities in any form. More like it, it is the sensibilities of their partners within OPEC that they are trying not to step on. After all, most members of OPEC have strong, non-democratic Governments that get nervous by the presence of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and would prefer a weaker and less independent ruler. Moreover, some members of OPEC may have interests in picking up some of the pieces of a post-invasion Iraq. The leading country may be Iran, who may consider annexing those geographical areas that are dominated by the Shiites in what is today Iraqi territory. On the other hand, the Kuwaitis have been nervous about Saddam ever since he invaded that country in the summer of 1990. Finally, there is Saudi Arabia, one of those countries that Chavez considers to be ãfriendlyä to his administration. The House of Saud has never been comfortable with Saddam Hussein and is increasingly nervous to countries that may support underground movements that may threaten its stability (Even if most of the Sept. 11th. terrorists came from Saudi Arabia and were largely financed by wealthy Saudis)
Clearly, there appears to be little that Venezuela can gain from the upcoming conflict. On the contrary, a swift and quick war will likely make oil prices tumble, a trend which might actually last quite a while if Iraqi oil comes slowly on line after the war. Given the current production problems with PDVSA since the strike, this would have an extremely negative impact on the countryâs finances. A second problem may be that once the US manages to get Iraq under control, it may focus more on the Venezuelan political crisis, after all, if Iraq has anything to do with oil how can Venezuela be ignored for long?
Given all this, the Chavezâ administration silence is all the more remarkable, unless their take is that an Iraqi conflict will actually drag on for a while, making oil prices go higher. While unlikely, Chavez intelligence and advice is not exactly the best in the world anyway given the quality of the advisers (except for the Cubans) that surround him. Thus, it appears as if Chavez administration is simply steering clear of the conflict as a way of simply pleasing everyone, its OPEC partners and its US enemies. Amazingly, for an uncoordinated bunch of radicals, Chavezâ MVR has held the official line quite well. Even more amazing, and a tribute to a quality we did not know he had, even the President has been able to shut his mouth up in order to comply with the official position the Government appears to have decided to follow.
[Miguel Octavio: Venezuela]
5:55:39 AM
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© Copyright
2006
Ken Hagler.
Last update:
2/15/2006; 1:52:06 PM.
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