OVER A DECADE ago, in 2010, the much-heralded withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq as promised by then President Barack Obama was a step in right direction towards disengagement of the United States of America from that war torn and ravaged country.
It was a small political victory for Obama in achieving a draw-down of troops while leaving the shaky disunited ruling fractions in Iraq.
Iraq is far from the free, peaceful, democratic fantasy that former President George William Bush promised the world when he foolishly declared âmission accomplishedâ, a few weeks after the US troops took Baghdad. His decision to invade Iraq was made under pressure from the US oil and military-industrial complex was based on the pretext that there were weapons of mass destruction threatening Europe. That war has brought intolerable suffering to the people of Iraq.
Half a million innocent Iraqis died, maimed and thousands more in exile the basic infrastructure sill in a shambles, the nation can be said to be worse off now than before Bushes and Blareâs war. Elections have been held in Iraq but contentious tribal and religious fractions cannot agree to form a government. It gave al-Qaida cause to further destabilize Iraqi with a rash of horrific bombings.
One has to admire Obama for his persistent pursuit of peace through diplomacy. As he said: âOur long-term security will not come from our ability to instill fear in other people, but through our capacity to speak to their hopesâ.
He pointed to the present threats that had to dealt with: nuclear proliferation, climate change, home grown terrorism, economic meltdown and domestic poverty in the United States.
Obama inherited two wars and an economic disaster. He was up against the most vitriolic republican party that resents his very existence and was hell bent to prevent him, the first black president, and an highly intelligent and educated one at that, from achieving anything positive.
He would, indeed, in time prove them wrong and his administration made enormous strides. The passing of healthcare and financial regulation laws that eluded every president before him in recent history was a major achievement.
His policy of engaging with enemies instead of threatening invasion and war has won him friends in Asia and the Middle East. His initiative to get the Palestinians and the Israelis talking was also a political positive despite the hardline positions of both sides. While he did not achieve much with Iran or North Korea, he succeeded in developing positive relationships with India, China and Russia.
In the Philippines, a traditional positive relationship still continues as American troops continue to train Philippine troops.
In Iraqi, the United States presence, power and control is far from ended. In fact, the US is determined to continue to control it and protect the controversial oil extraction and distribution contract signed by the Iraqi government with Anglo-American oil companies. This was the long-term goal of Bushâs war. This has huge strategic value.
There are still over 90 US Military bases to protect key installations and especially the oil fields. These troops are supported by foreign mercenaries and thousands of contractors operating in a supporting role.
The occupation has succeeded and continues under another name. Everything else has failed, security, civilized life, the rights of women and children are denied and murder, torture and illegal detention goes on as before.
The Iraqi people have to get together and retake their own country./PN
