***Just as the US Defence Secretary had recently said that the US and its allie's "patience is wearing thin", with the arrogance and obstinacy shown by Saddam Hussain, similarly it can be said that the patience of the peoples of the world is also 'wearing thin' at the continued militancy and aggrasiveness shown by America to the innocent Iraqi people.***

THIS is exactly what is happening in Iraq nowadays. They are groping in darkness in search of a missing black cat' when there is no cat at all! But who cares whether the cat' exists or not? They are 'authorised' to search for it as part of their mission in Iraq, and they have been doing it for the last eight years or so. Are these so-called weapon experts so inefficient? If so, why they have beqn put there for such a long time? Perhaps. II is the part of the whole game.

Sb the UN Special Commission ( or should one call it US Special Commission?) has now come up with a new demand on the Iraqi Government. They now want to examine some 12 categories of documents related to dangerous weapons, which Saddam Hussain, the 'Thief of Baghdad' in western eyes (!) is hiding from the UN weapon inspectors. Iraq is in a fix. What to give when the thing asked for doesn't exist? Iraqi Foreign Minister Saeed Asahaf, refuting the allegation, had accused UN-SCOM chief Butler of carrying on a "savage campaign of misinformation" in their latest quest for new documents which are "non-existent". He further said that Iraq had already handed over to UNSCOM over two million pages of weapon-related documents. Still they insist on seeing the fictitious documents. That's why. Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq. Tariq Aziz said that Mr Butler is trying to create "a pretext" to continue the unjust sanctions on Iraq, or "allow America and Britain" for another "attack" on Iraq. (In this context, the less said about Britain, the better. Because Tony Blair is trying to 'eclipse' the role played by that 'Iron-lady' Margaret Thatcher during Reagan's time. That British joke is still alive that, when Reagan asked Margaret to jump', she asked, how long. So a linch-pin' is always a linchpin.)

A Loony at Large?

It is true that what America wants is not the moon. Because they have already 'conquered' the moon. They have jumped over the moon. That is why they sometimes behave like a 'loony'. So during the last eight

years or so. the UN weapons inspectors have been trying to dig out the deadly bombs and missiles and what not from the achieves, as if Iraq is the only 'devil' that is left with such weapons! (of course. America's 'blue-loony' Israel just plays with 'toy' guns and missiles!) They have been running from pillar to post, from Saddam Hussain's kitchen to bathrooms and toilets, to discover the 'hidden' things. Is it not ridiculous on the part of the only superpower left in the world to behave like that. But end justifies the means and everything is fair in war. so goes the saying. America follows it religiously to suit Its strategy.

But such ludicrous US posture towards Iraq since latter's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, is not a new development. Everytime the question of periodic review of UN sanctions comes up. a well-planned 'storm' is raised in the tea cup on one plea or other, mainly on Iraq's alleged refusal to cooperate with weapons inspectors. So as long as UNSCOM Chief Butler doesn't issue a 'good conduct certificate about Saddam. UN Security Council puts another seal' to continue the sanctions. This disgusting process has been running through the last eight years at the cost of Iraqi people's untold miseries.

President Clinton is. perhaps. carrying too far the 'war Sne' started by his predecessor

iree Bush on the plea of freeing Kuwait from Iraai occupation. but more covertly to consolidate US presence in the Gulf to ensure steady and uninterrupted supply of oil. At the beginning. Bush played his 'card' well, but he miserably failed to sustain his reckless adventure.

In 1991, Bush had 80 per cent approval ratings in his favour, whereas, in one year, in 1992, the approval ratings dropped to {ust 30 pc. And his election de->acle was disastrous. Clinton walked over humiliated Bush more as a "domestic" president, rather than a world leader. But Clinton, in order to give a dazzling picture of him to his nation. gradually changed his colours and took up the unfinished task of Bush.

Bush and Clinton: Where They Meet?

When Bush was bowled out' by Clinton, a well-known columnist of a Canadian national daily said: "If Bush had been re-elected President, he might very well have been impeached within the year, as his lies and illegal acts around Iran-Contra and Irao-gate came spilling into public views." Foreseeing a possible follow-up by the new President, the columnist said: "Failing that satisfaction (impeachment of Bush)... We ought to impeach his remaining policies as quickly as possible". Unfortunately, Instead of inpeaching “his (Bush) remaining policies." Clinton seems to have given an added dimension to Bush's "remaining policies." Perhaps with more aggressiveness. Of course, the Republicans are after him for impeachment not for his new Operation Desert.' but Operation Monica'.) A President may lie'. But history never lies.

Lies do not live longer. They face their natural doom making room for the truth to triumph. Although public memory is proverbially short, but certainly the people have not yet forgotten the naked lies that

were spread throughout the world against Iraqi Brutalities in Kuwait and perhaps to hide Bush's own atrocities on the Innocent Iraqi people. Who can forget, a Western columnist ask. the "horror stories" circulated in those days by Bush gang about "Kuwaiti babies being flanked from their incubators by beastly Iraqi invadors". But the cat was out of the bag within no time. It ultimately turned out that these "horror stories" were "blatantly phoney, fabricated by a public relations agency" (perhaps hired by US administration or CIA). Iraqis "killing fields" of yesterday, have become to-day vast graveyards of thousands Of children and old and Sigk rhe A "and women dying for want'bf food and medicine due to continuation of the Inhuman sanctions, "imposed" on Iraq by UN. acting as the "willing servant of George Bush," as has been put by a western columnist. Even this much-abused world organisation. couldn't but admit, in a report that Iraq had been bombed, during the Gulf War. back to a pre-industrlal state."

Bush on Dock

It may not be out of context to mention here about the 'verdict' given by a 22-member unofficial War Crimes Tribunal, which held its sessions in New York, where the former US Attorney-General Ramsay Clark, who travelled Iraq during and after the Gulf War. pleaded the case of Iraq. The Verdict' said that "Bush and others of his Administration were guilty of 19 charges of war crimes, crimes against peace and crimes against humanity, for US conduct before, during and after the Gulf War". Untortu-

nately. this 'historic', though unofficial. verdict' was "blacked out" by the entire US media for reason best known to the champions of democracy and human rights. But history will one day unfold the myth and will Judge Bush "guilty of monstrous crimes". And Clinton, as "torch hearer" of Bush in Gulf affairs, may not be an exception.

America has a Dream?

May be. America has a dream, a dream of making the whole of the Middle East a pleasant "golf-ground" for itself and its western allies and "hire" some Arab leaders as "caddies" around them. Beginning from the Gulf war to this day. America seems to have succeeded to a great extent to fulfil' its mission. The Gulf area is now throbbing with US war machines and necessary "exercises" and with every threat to Iraq for its alleged non-cooperation with the UN weapons inspectors. more fighter and weapons are being piled up there. But how long will the conscience of the world will tolerate such a show of force? There is no doubt that this will ensure a smooth flow of oil to

America and its allies, but will the flow of blood remain far behind?

'Patience Wearing

Thin"

Just as the US Defence Secretary had recently said that the US and its allie's "patience is wearing thin", with the arrogance and obstinacy shown by Saddam Hussain, similarly it can be said that the patience of the peoples of the world is also "wearing thin" at the continued militancy and aggrasiveness shown by America to the innocent Iraqi people. They know well that oy punishing the Iraqi people, they can’t do any harm to Saddam, who seems to be a hard nut to crack. Ironically, the more America is trying to tighten the noose around his neck, it is making him more popular and more deeply entrenched in power. If America had any intention to remove Saddam from power, it should have "hijacked" him to America during the massive air attacks on Baghdad and hold his trial for "war crimes" and put him in Jail, as it had done earlier with the Panamanian President who is still rottening in US prison, simply because he refused to tow the US line. It’^now' a tough role^P^rljqps^ there jp no alternative left lo America out to "kill" him. as an "wise" Republican Senator has recently suggested! So Clinton should take a timely lesson and call it a day before getting bogged down deeper and deeper in the marshy land' of the Gulf region. America has already accumulated enough skeletons in its closet, so further "Iraq-bash-ing" or "Saddam-bashing” is likely to have a boomerang effect.