Despite deposing and executing Saddam Hussein, on the pretext of "democratising" Iraq, it seems that the US mission to bring "freedom" to the people of Iraq has failed.
The Washington Post reports that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is using special forces to deal with demonstrations in Iraq:
"Witnesses in Baghdad and as far north as Kirkuk described watching last week as security forces in black uniforms, tracksuits and T-shirts roared up in trucks and Humvees, attacked protesters, rounded up others from cafes and homes and hauled them off, blindfolded, to army detention centres."
Out of the ashes of one dictatorship it seems that a new one is emerging.
As I have noted several times before, you cannot impose democracy on a society or country using the barrel of a gun.
Friday, March 04, 2011
The Parade of Horribles
In October 2002, five months before the invasion of Iraq, Donald Rumsfeld emailed President Bush a memo that listed 29 reasons why a military confrontation with Saddam Hussein could go wrong.
Item 17 is Banquo's ghost:
"The US could fail to manage post-Saddam Hussein Iraq successfully, with the result that it could fracture into two or three pieces, to the detriment of the Middle East and the benefit of Iran."
Item 17 is Banquo's ghost:
"The US could fail to manage post-Saddam Hussein Iraq successfully, with the result that it could fracture into two or three pieces, to the detriment of the Middle East and the benefit of Iran."
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Unrest Continues
Despite being "democratised", Iraq has not escaped the wave of unrest that is sweeping across the Middle East.
Rallies across Iraq, calling for more accountability from elected leaders and better services, have intensified. As such, Baghdad's mayor (Saber al-Issawi) has become the third official to resign this month.
Democracy, when imposed on a country, is not a short term immediate fix for a country's and society's ills. It will take many years to "bed down", and until then the country will be vulnerable to destabilisation by fanatics, bullies and idiots.
Rallies across Iraq, calling for more accountability from elected leaders and better services, have intensified. As such, Baghdad's mayor (Saber al-Issawi) has become the third official to resign this month.
Democracy, when imposed on a country, is not a short term immediate fix for a country's and society's ills. It will take many years to "bed down", and until then the country will be vulnerable to destabilisation by fanatics, bullies and idiots.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Democracy Is Not a Quick Fix Panacea
The people of Iraq are learning that democracy is, in itself, not a quick fix panacea for a nation's ills (especially if there is a culture of corruption and nepotism firmly embedded in that society).
The head of Iraq's parliament has called for new provincial elections within three months, in the wake of anti-government protests across the country. The protests are in response to endemic corruption, a lack of basic services and the unapproachability of the Iraqi government based inside the fortified Green Zone where the US embassy is also based.
Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, undoubtedly fearing that he and his associates might be next in the "Jasmine Revolution" has given his cabinet a period of 100 days to shape up or ship out.
As to whether this is merely window dressing, for the benefit of a media headline, only time will tell.
The head of Iraq's parliament has called for new provincial elections within three months, in the wake of anti-government protests across the country. The protests are in response to endemic corruption, a lack of basic services and the unapproachability of the Iraqi government based inside the fortified Green Zone where the US embassy is also based.
Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, undoubtedly fearing that he and his associates might be next in the "Jasmine Revolution" has given his cabinet a period of 100 days to shape up or ship out.
As to whether this is merely window dressing, for the benefit of a media headline, only time will tell.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Criminal Behaviour and Blatant Corruption
The Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction report to Congress has found that corruption and waste has cost the US taxpayer an estimated $12BN wrt reconstruction monies "invested" in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The report found that "criminal behaviour and blatant corruption" were responsible for much of the waste related to the nearly $200BN spent since 2002 on US reconstruction and other projects in the two countries.
The report found that "criminal behaviour and blatant corruption" were responsible for much of the waste related to the nearly $200BN spent since 2002 on US reconstruction and other projects in the two countries.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Curveball
In a rather late attempt to shut the stable door, former American secretary of state Colin Powell has called on the CIA and Pentagon to explain how he was given unreliable information which proved key to the US case for invading Iraq.
Source The Telegraph.
Source The Telegraph.
Friday, February 04, 2011
Regrets
Donald Rumsfeld in his memoir "Known and Unknown", excerpts of which have been leaked, expresses a regret that he he did not leave office at the time of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. However, he also spends much time blaming all and sundry for the Iraq debacle.
One of targets of his ire, John McCain, retorted:
"Thank God he was relieved of his duties and we put the surge in. Otherwise, we would have had a disastrous defeat in Iraq."
Ironically, Rumsfeld is due to receive the "Defender of The Constitution" Award from the right of centre Political Action Conference.
That doubtless will "amuse" those who have been on the receiving end of his authorisation to use torture.
One of targets of his ire, John McCain, retorted:
"Thank God he was relieved of his duties and we put the surge in. Otherwise, we would have had a disastrous defeat in Iraq."
Ironically, Rumsfeld is due to receive the "Defender of The Constitution" Award from the right of centre Political Action Conference.
That doubtless will "amuse" those who have been on the receiving end of his authorisation to use torture.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Round Two - Blair Testifies
Tony Blair is testifying to the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war, his second appearance before Chilcot.
He has stated again that the 9/11 attacks were the root cause of the war.
The British decision to back the invasion of Iraq was based on Blair's belief that Britain had to back whatever the States wanted to do, in order to maintain the so called and over hyped "special relationship".
This if course is a lousy premise for any policy, handing over responsibility for foreign policy to another country is destined to end in disaster.
He has stated again that the 9/11 attacks were the root cause of the war.
The British decision to back the invasion of Iraq was based on Blair's belief that Britain had to back whatever the States wanted to do, in order to maintain the so called and over hyped "special relationship".
This if course is a lousy premise for any policy, handing over responsibility for foreign policy to another country is destined to end in disaster.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Blair's Secret Letters
Sir John Chilcot, the restrained and reserved chairman of the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war, almost revealed a hint of anger the other day when he expressed "disappointment" over the fact that he has been forbidden to declassify letters between Blair and Bush written in the period up to the Iraq war.
Seemingly the official excuse, used by the state, for not allowing these documents to be published is that they are deemed to be "private correspondence". Indeed, so private that references to these letters were removed from official records.
Ironically Blair, as part of his attempt to make money from publishing, happily refers to the letters in his book "A Journey".
The Inquiry has quite clearly been "nobbled" from the outset, any conclusion it finally reaches must be regarded with great suspicion.
Seemingly the official excuse, used by the state, for not allowing these documents to be published is that they are deemed to be "private correspondence". Indeed, so private that references to these letters were removed from official records.
Ironically Blair, as part of his attempt to make money from publishing, happily refers to the letters in his book "A Journey".
The Inquiry has quite clearly been "nobbled" from the outset, any conclusion it finally reaches must be regarded with great suspicion.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Goldsmith Disputes Blair
Lord Goldsmith, Tony Blair's former attorney general, has given a written response to a written question posed by the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war.
On 15 January 2003 Blair told MPs that while a second UN resolution was "preferable", there were circumstances in which it was "not necessary".
The inquiry panel asked Lord Goldsmith if he felt those words were "compatible with the advice you had given him".
Lord Goldsmith replied "no".
Thhe BBC quotes him also saying:
"I was uncomfortable about them and I believe that I discussed my concerns with [then foreign secretary] Jack Straw and my own staff."
On 15 January 2003 Blair told MPs that while a second UN resolution was "preferable", there were circumstances in which it was "not necessary".
The inquiry panel asked Lord Goldsmith if he felt those words were "compatible with the advice you had given him".
Lord Goldsmith replied "no".
Thhe BBC quotes him also saying:
"I was uncomfortable about them and I believe that I discussed my concerns with [then foreign secretary] Jack Straw and my own staff."
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