Iraq after war

Columnist Syma Nasir looks at the country post-conflict.

It has been announced by the American Administration that American forces will remain in Iraq for a longer period depending on the situation and fulfilment of the aims, and this period of stay can be of more than two years. However, it has not been clarified that what are specifically the aims whose accomplishment is required and will be ensured. Now, when many weeks have passed since Allied forces have taken over Iraq, any programme/plan about the future of Iraq has not been announced clearly and the situation in Iraq is worsening with each passing day. Iraqi people are the victims of worst type as they were thrown into war and witnessed the loss of their near and dear ones and this human loss will never be justified in the history with any reasons. Then the devastated country saw miseries due to shortage of basic necessities of life and it was followed by looting and plundering. Last but not the least are the bullets of American forces that Iraqis are taking.

American forces are behaving like a traditional occupier with the occupied and the mockery of the claim that they have invaded Iraqi people to save them from the evil rule of Saddam and are saviours of Iraqi people, have been made. It is a time when America can heal the wounds of Iraqis and can prove that they went there as saviours by adopting measures as per wishes of Iraqi population and by adopting a strategy that will ensure the development of civic facilities in the shortest possible time. Similarly, it is the time for America to heal the damage caused to United Nations by going for war unilaterally, which was created after the Second World War to avoid any future wars and to make this world a place where all the nations of the world could live harmoniously. It is also the time for mending the divide that has appeared between America and France, Germany, Russia and those countries that were against the war due to unilateral decision of USA and Britain to attack Iraq.

But the realities on the ground speak about something different. It is a fact that all the reasons quoted by Allied forces for attacking Iraq which were already not accepted by the world community, proved only apprehensions. Now, when the Saddam regime has been ousted and Iraq has been conquered many weeks ago, no signs of weapons of mass destruction have been found there. It was the most highlighted allegation about the Saddam regime that they have prepared weapons of mass destruction as well as chemical weapons that are a threat to the world. A full scale war which has resulted not only in the destruction of the infrastructure of a country but hundreds of innocent citizens died leaving much more injured and now when nothing of that sort has been found it is being stated that perhaps these have been destroyed or shifted to some place. Secondly, before the war, message that was given to Iraqis was that Allied forces are coming as their saviours and it was claimed that Allied forces will be warmly welcomed in Iraq. But nothing of this sort was witnessed during the war and now after the war. Then it was claimed that people are afraid of Saddam regime and are not celebrating the coming of Allied forces due to above said fear. But after the war we did not see any large scale celebrations by the Iraqi people. It was also claimed by the American Administration that Shia population of Iraq will stand with them during the war and will support them once Iraq is taken over. Again this claim of America  fails to establish writ as neither in the war nor after the occupation of Iraq did we witness any such thing. In fact ground realities present altogether a different situation and picture. What was observed  was a complete harmony between the Shia and Sunni population of Iraq not only during the war but even now there have been large protests carried out by the Shia population of Iraq demanding that American forces  should leave Iraq immediately and the affairs of Iraq should be placed in the hands of Iraqis. Not only this they have repeatedly demonstrated that both communities are completely united and there are no differences among them regarding presence of Allied forces in Iraq and future of Iraq. All these realities on ground have made it more than clear that all the reasons quoted by America for attacking Iraq were not genuine and it was carried out to implement the designs of America planned for the region and which is a part of their strategy devised to transform the world geography as per their wishes. But a word of caution here is that it will not be easy for America to pursue its policy and designs in the region as she is going to face a strong opposition not only from within Iraq but from other countries of the world. Rather this resistance has already been seen in the form of growing protests in Iraq by the Iraqis against the presence of American forces in the country. They are demanding immediate withdrawal of forces. This feeling was witnessed during the war and is getting strength with each passing day. On the contrary American Administration has declared that their forces are going to stay in the country for a longer period. However, it is pertinent to add here that one thing has been made clear by the Iraqi people that they might be against the Saddam regime and that it was a bad regime which was based on brutality but they are not in favour that their country be run by some other country and force of some country and only Iraqis have the right to rule their country. It is ridiculous to note that American forces who claimed that they are going to Iraq as saviours of Iraqi people, now once taking over the country are behaving like traditional conquerors. It became more evident recently when American forces opened fire on Iraqis that were protesting against the presence of American soldiers in Floja, a city 45 kilometres from Baghdad, killing more than fifteen people and injuring around fifty. The very next day same was repeated and three more Iraqis were killed by the firing of American soldiers. This incident has triggered the protests throughout the country against American forces.

So far it appears that America, whatever their plans about redesigning the geography of the region and political situation to be created there are, will be going ahead with the same. But it is going to have serious consequences as it will push the region as well as the world into crises of deeper nature which in turn may result in conflicts having far reaching consequences. Almost all the countries of the region are demanding the pull out of American forces from the region. America should give due consideration to this sentiment widely prevalent in the Islamic world in particular and world in general and should realize that her present policy is not going to win any friends rather will give birth to more strong anti- America feelings among the Muslim countries widening the divide already present there.

America should also realize that now it is the time that sanctity of United Nations can once again be established by giving the task of rebuilding Iraq to United Nations. She should no more act unilaterally as she has been doing in the past. But things seem altogether different and it appears that America as she has done at the time of going into war against Iraq, is still following the same strategy and is determined to convert the world as per their plan. It has become evident from the fact that after consolidating its occupation of Iraq, which still needs justification on the basis that none of the allegations against Iraq were proved, and start blaming a score of other Islamic countries have also started efforts to sideline France and Germany. The only reason for this attitude of America against these two countries is that they are the ones, which openly stood against America in attacking Iraq outside United Nations. There point which was very logical and was widely accepted by the world at large was that weapon inspectors were given the time they were asking to determine that Iraq has developed and is in possession of weapons of mass destruction and chemical weapons which were termed as a threat to America. It is important to note here till that time weapons inspectors were not able to find any weapons there and now when America is in possession of Iraq, even she has failed to establish or find that Iraq was in possession of such weapons. This reality has brought to surface two facts, one is that these were only excuses used by America to invade Iraq and genuine reasons behind this move was to achieve her ends in the region and two America has realized that France and Germany are the two countries that will be opposing the moves and policies of America which are aimed to establish American hegemony throughout the world and which she is meant to implement unilaterally in future. Realizing it America has started cornering them in the international politics as well as is determined to penalize them for their opposition to America. American Congress was made to pass a bill declaring that those countries namely France, Germany and Russia who opposed American attack on Iraq will not be given contracts in the rebuilding of Iraq. Now the latest in this series is the allegation brought forward by the American side is that France and Germany tried to hijack North Atlantic Treaty Organization by threatening other countries not to support America otherwise be ready to face serious consequences. It has also been alleged that France helped the escape of Saddam and its close associates.

America being the only superpower of the world and due to its recent success in carrying out its own designed plans in different parts of the world has failed to realize that this strategy is going to ruin the peace of the world for which America is fighting its so-called war around the world. Not only this, it is also going to damage the institutions and organizations created after World War II to save the world from such terrible wars in future and ultimately  fading credibility of these organizations will plunge the world in more dangerous wars in future. It will create new alliances and unions which will divide the world further on international as well as regional issues. These new alliances, if started monitoring their interests on issues and problems around the globe and without the presence of an international platform like United Nations, world is determined to again fall in the clutches of world wars in future. We have already witnessed such a development during the Iraq crises when four members of NATO announced that they are going to form joint army for their defence and security about which America and Britain are apprehensive and have declared that it has been done to reduce the importance of NATO. Owing to the same attitude of America, China, Russia and other countries of former USSR have also started thinking about forming a security alliance. Muslim countries that are just sitting across the line and are seeing what is going on must learn lessons from it and should come out from their lethargy. It is high time that they should put aside their internal and intra differences and should try to make OIC, the second largest organization after United Nations more effective and to save their interests in future. If even now they failed to realize the ground realities and did not come up with a proper strategy aiming at the unity of Muslim World and to get register themselves as a bargaining partner with other world, they will be the worst sufferers of the policies of America.

Present situation depicts that America is not willing to give any role to United Nations in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and is least bothered about the fact that any government formed in Iraq without the permission and involvement of United Nations will not be having any legal base and the consequences of placing such a government will give birth to more problems. Not only this, America is planning to take control of oil for food programme and have lifted sanctions against Iraq placed by her and have moved a resolution for the lifting of sanctions against Iraq put by United Nations Security Council. All this clearly states that America is going to manage the affairs alone putting aside any role of the United Nations.

It is high time that America should realize and sooner the better, that ignoring the world opinion and United Nations will not do any good, rather will cause more serious damage to the world peace and is also not better for America itself and she has to come to United Nations to give acceptability to her actions in the world community. Its time that Iraq’s reconstruction process should be placed at the hands of United Nations. The present policy of America is not causing much harm to others but more to America itself and if she is going to continue the same policy in future it will produce more hatred against America and alienate her in the world. So it is in the interest of America to reconsider its present policy and mend it in a way which is fair and is acceptable to the world community.