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'War
on Iraq could set the Arab world against the west,'
so stated a leading Roman Catholic church leader.
This questioning of the almost certain attack on Iraq
is being reflected across the broad spectrum. From
church to trade unionists to politicians and social
activists, with growing majorities of people opposed
to any attack, this both at home and internationally.
George
Bush states he wants the removal of Saddam Hussian
both because he may have weapons of mass destruction
and because he is a tyrant. Yet the support the US
provides for Israel in its repression of the Palestinians
or the support the American government has given Saudi
Arabia whose dictatorship is seen by many as more
repressive than that of Iraqis, shows not a contradiction
but the reality of their foreign policy direction
for US interests.
Despite
George Bush's rhetoric, the actual reasoning for an
attack on Iraq is twofold. Firstly to attempt to assert
their dominance within that region in order to demonstrate
US power, and in doing so warn other nations of their
superiority, so sending a clear message to any potential
rivals. Secondly for both economic and strategic reasons
in relation to both oil and the placing of a compliant
leadership in Iraq who would do the US bidding in
the region.
Both
the West and the US supported Saddam in the 1980s
while he was gassing Iraqi kurds - yet they did nothing.
Why? because of his recent war on and his opposition
to Iran - an enemy of the US. The US were also at
the time both funding and providing weaponry for him.
Life of the innocent meant nothing for US interests
then and it will mean nothing to them now - what matters
is the development of their set agenda.
That
in part is why, unlike the Gulf War, most nations
now are not offering any support for this US directive.
So now George Bush in seemingly going to attempt to
court allies to give illusions of a coalition before
he attacks. From having discussions at home on US
soil, to possibly seeking a UN resolution for setting
a deadline for the return of weapons inspectors to
Iraq, he now, through his advisors and diplomats,
his programme is one of attempting to construct a
perception of wide spread endorsement.
Bush
will also use bullying tactics to Arab states, while
employing 'sweeteners' and veiled threats (more so
economically) to others to force a coalition. Despite
this there is growing international opposition to
the oncoming attacks, with real fears in Arab states
of possible rebellion of their peoples against any
attack on Iraq.
So
once again as in all wars it will be the innocent
who suffer. The 'Bush cause' of this almost certain
war will leave many thousands of civilians dead -
men, women and children - while creating massive instability
across the Middle East. The sheer brutality of the
last war on Iraq including the massacre on the road
to Basra where human lives were referred to as 'a
turkey shoot' and the imposed sanctions after the
war which has lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands
more, show that we need to send a clear message through
speech, thought and mobilizations of people -simply
that 'this war will not be waged in our name'.
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