Trouble in Middle East
By Faizah Gilani

IT seems as if decades have passed since the ousting of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from power. So much has happened since the Iraq invasion and so much is about to happen.

Since the fall of the Iraqi leader, an election has taken place, along with numerous kidnappings and horrific bloodshed on a very large scale. There was a time when President Bush and Prime Minister Blair ruthlessly defended their joint decision to go into Iraq.

However, that ruthless voice has now mellowed down after the realization that the Iraq war, in simple terms, is a mess. Following defeat in the mid-term elections, the Republicans have spoken about them being open to “new ideas” with regards to Iraq.

And in an interview with David Frost, Tony Blair finally admitted that Iraq was a mess. Officials later, however, tried to cover it up by stating that it was merely a “slip of the tongue.”

But to call Iraq a mess would not be an exaggeration, because that is exactly what it has become. Today bloodshed has become the norm within Iraqi society, and a regular feature of news headlines.

Sadly the loss of life has become so common that now every death is just another one to the total. The situation in Iraq is getting worse each day, and has turned in to a battlefield.

It has become the least favorite topic for both the American and British Government. But no matter how hard they try to avoid the issue, they can not escape it.

After all, for every journalist, Iraq is a hot question. But this situation has been created by the US and Britain, and now they are twiddling their thumbs in worry over what should be done.

And in a recent development, the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has expressed his deep concern over Iraq, and the possibility that the current situation might lead to civil war.

No doubt, Mr Annan’s concern is justified, and he is not the only one to feel this way. His sentiments are shared by many, and even the US and British government are fully aware of this danger, but do not have the courage to publicly acknowledge it.

If a civil war does occur, which seems to be on the cards, this would lead to the dismantling of Iraq into pieces and will prove to be dangerous for the region as well.

Many Iraqis may be thinking that they were far better off with Saddam Hussein, instead of this so-called ‘liberation.’ Saddam may not be a saint, but Mr Bush is no angel either. What his real motives were behind this invasion is a separate issue. The fact remains that a country has been pushed under the dark clouds of uncertainty.

Bush and Blair have played the role of two mad scientists, whose experiment has gone terribly wrong. Iraq is precisely that experiment. And when troops eventually pull out of Iraq, it will be the Iraqi people who will have to pick up the pieces.

Whether Saddam is executed or not, it will not make a difference to the situation. It will just close the chapter of the dictator’s long regime. But a new chapter of uncertainty will begin.

The Iraqi government is insignificant and almost jelly-like. The US is molding it into how it wants. The government’s shoulders are very weak; it is unable to carry the weight of Iraq’s problems. This makes the possibility for the outbreak of civil war even greater.

And when it eventually does happen, three things will be confirmed. Firstly, it will confirm that the Iraq war was a big blunder on the part of the US and British government. Secondly, it will show how the Iraqi people have been badly let down.

If intentions were to liberate them, then this so-called liberation has given them nothing. In fact, they are stuck between this bloodshed present, and a bleak future.

Thirdly, it will again show how western powers throw their weight around to enforce their views and values upon weaker countries. Of course, this is nothing new, and has been a regular feature in history.

It again shows how the big guns have monopoly, and can stamp their authority wherever and whenever they want. Iraq is just another one to that list. The question is, who is next one the list? Iran perhaps?

Mr Bush would love to get his hands on the feisty Iranians, but the President is well-aware of its consequences. An attack on Iran would be a recipe for disaster; you just need to look at the track record for proof. Afghanistan is still a mess and Iraq is chaos.

This is an important reason which is holding the US back. Also, it would be hypocritical of the US to do such a thing, considering North Korea is playing with the big toys of mass destruction.

But the entire Middle East region has become such a saddening situation. It has become a jigsaw, with many key pieces missing. It could have been a flourishing part of the world. Instead, it has become the home of death and destruction.

Instability within the Middle East also affects the entire world, as we live in a global village. Whether it is foreign policy, oil or Muslim and the West relations, the Middle East affects a broad range of issues.

That is why the fate of Iraq is so important. A civil war will definitely have an impact on the region. However, the situation within Iraq at the moment is no less than a civil war. Sectarian violence does not seem to be calming down, and Shia-Sunni division is still growing further.

Everyday a bomb goes off, and with it takes the little hope that the Iraqis are holding on to. It is now simply a case of wait and watch, to see how much more damage will occur. Tensions are high in the Middle East neighbourhood, and Iraq is just another broken house in that troubled neighbourhood.●

© 2006 Faizah Gilani