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Iraq : As the dust settles the questions arise

MILIA ALI
THE US invasion of Iraq has provoked, inspired and generated reactions and discussions of all kinds -- mass protest rallies, media hype, journalistic reporting, essays and speculation on the shape and form of the new world order in the postIraq war era. Although I am tempted to add my opinion on this pile of diverse views, I will refrain from doing so, primarily because "war analysis" is not my forte. However, what I can and would like to do is express a concern. One that
many aware and sensitive people around the world are contemplating and reflecting upon: In what ways this unjust war has rocked the basic moral foundations of many who still wish to believe that, the
world may not be perfect, but brute force and propaganda fabrications cannot triumph over truth and goodness. The Iraq war has, in fact, left people like me confused, perplexed and opened up a whole new set of questions on what is right and wrong
The war propaganda was initiated by the Bush administration on the basis of "fighting terrorism" and overthrowing the Saddam regime in Iraq which, according to US intelligence sources, possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), including biological and chemical weapons. Although it is not yet clear what the US government means by WMDs, but if we are to take it literally to mean weapons which destroy masses it has become obvious, since March 21, that the US Military owns many more of these than does Iraq. The moral question then is :Why is it right for the US to produce and use WMD and wrong for Iraq (even if we hypothetically believe that Iraq did have them)? Is it because, as suggested by CNN, Fox News and to a lesser extent by BBC, the Americans and the British are more "civilized" and would only use them under extreme provocation to defend themselves against "the forces of evil?" But facts tell us otherwise: the "barbaric" Saddam has so far shown no signs of having fired a single WMD in this war, whereas the US army has indiscriminately cluster bombed the innocent men, women and children of Iraq -- the very people that it went out to "liberate" from the demon Saddam!. Which brings me to my second moral question: Why is it right to kill innocent people in Iraq based on an assumption (unfounded by any evidence) that their leader MAY use weapons of terrorism against the people of the US in some remote future? Are we
living in a world where even the distant threat to an American life is worth the lives of a few thousand Iraqi "natives"?
The other US argument for attacking Iraq preemptively was to save the world from a "rogue state" which has Al Qaeda terrorist hideouts and training centers (where are they, by the way -- can anyone tell us?)! So, we needed the American troops to "liberate" Iraq and the world from fanaticism and the extremist Muslim forces. But what do we see now? Thousands of Shias flagellating chains and whips, circling mosques, and marching toward Karbala, laying the foundation of a Shia-Sunni split in the so called newly "free" country? Is this not a sign that post-Baathist Iraq has the potential of becoming a breeding ground for Shiite fanaticism? Does this ring a bell? A replay of the events which led to the creation and later destruction of the Talibans in Afghanistan by the very same "guardians" of secularism and liberalism?
And now we have "America's Man in Baghdad," handpicked by the Pentagon to reinstate "freedom and democracy" in Iraq -- General Garner -- who "owes his appointment to the personal ties he .. .formed with Rumsfield" (Herald Tribune April 23, 2003). Of course, the whole world needs to take special courses on democratic freedom from the US , where even today citizens have serious doubts as to whether the current president was truly their popular choice! Where, I am told, web sites that provide the other story (e.g. Al Jazeera) have been made inaccessible to the people, where the majority can listen to only one opinion voiced by CNN and Fox News, and European and South Asian TV channels are available only at an exorbitant cost, where
war protesters are labeled as unpatriotic. A recurring question for many of us now is : Has freedom of expression for the American masses become a casualty of the Iraq war?
We have been informed by American President George Bush that the transition to a true democracy in Iraq may take as much as "two years"! During this period the Great Garner will make sure that freedom is restored to the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia and will, of course, in the process, garner the benefits for the coalition countries or as Jay Leno (NBC, Tonight Show), said, "Divide the country into three: premium, regular and unleaded" petroleum! My question to the American people: Would you accept a leader from Iraq, "handpicked" by its regime, to install a new form of democracy in the United States? (After all, there are many around the world that believe there is no true democracy in the US today.) Would you allow an outsider to lead the process of reforming YOUR constitution?
Finally to the devil Saddam! The tragedy of this war is that many of us that always believed Saddam was a ruthless despot who should have been forced out of power by his people a decade ago, are now left in an embarrassing situation, having to face the criticism of the handful who hold a flag for him and the likes of him! We are now told by our opponents that democracy is an eye wash and an excuse to subjugate the weak and "might is right" is, after all, the rule of the day! These critics also tell us that numerous dictators all around the world (Saudi Arabia being on top of the list) are great allies of the US. There are also the ex-Soviet dictatorships in the Caucuses and Central Asia
(Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan to name a few) where American aid and good will are flowing like milk and honey. Does this mean that the principle guiding current of US foreign policy is: "It's okay if the dictators are oppressing their people, but it's not okay of they don't listen to us?"
I have always been an admirer of the great American ideologies of freedom, equity and opportunity for all. The terrible tragedy of September 11 triggered anger and mortification in many like me who vowed to fight fanaticism by vocally propagating the message of a peaceful Islam and the basic idea that all men are the treasured creation of the same God. We believed that it was a signal for all aware and sensitive citizens of the world to pool our forces and fight for a better, undivided world. But after March 21, 2003, something snapped -- the world does not seem to be the same any more. I feel as if MY sovereignty and freedom have been trampled upon and I am powerless to defend myself. If the entire world's opinion did not deter the Bush administration from fighting an unjust war how can I make a difference .or change anything ?
Yet my indomitable human spirit tells me we cannot give up. We have to find answers to the unanswered questions . Like many around the world I am waiting for the American people, like Michael Moore and the thousands who protested in the streets of their cities, to provide us with the right answers. Because only they can change the way the US administration thinks and acts! The world needs to separate the American government and the Bush administration from the real people who have a history of being humane, generous and willing to accept diversity in culture and thought. Therefore, my plea to every conscientious American citizen is : "A great burden rests on you today. Don't let this global barrage of "We hate America" take over -- show us that your stars outshine your stripes!"
Milia Ali is a former World Bank official, currently residing in Kazakhstan.
***We have to find answers to the unanswered questions ... Like many around the world I am waiting for the American people, like Michael Moore and the thousands who protested in the streets of their cities, to provide us with the right answers. Because only they can change the way the US administration thinks and acts! The world needs to separate the American government and the Bush administration from the real people who have a history of being humane, generous and willing to accept diversity in culture and thought.***