[Ideal08]

When America Attacks Iraq

Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)
OPINION
January 13, 2003
Posted to the web January 13, 2003

By With I. K. Gyasi


When I write or think about the United States of America, one character that keeps creeping into my mind is Mr. Holroyd, an American businessman in Joseph Conrad's novel, NOSTROMO, first published in 1904.

Mr. Holroyd makes an uncanny prediction about what the United States would become today.

He states with supreme confidence: "We in this country know just about enough to keep indoors when it rains. We can sit and wait. Of course, some day, we shall step in. We are bound to. But there is no hurry. Time itself has got to wait on the greatest country in the whole of God's universe."

He continues: "We shall be giving the word for eyerything: industry, trade, law, journalism, art, politics, and religion, from Cape Horn clear over to Smith's Sound, and beyond too, if anything worth taking hold of turns up at the North Pole. And then we shall have the leisure to take in hand the outlying islands and continents of the earth."

Mr. Holroyd ends with a flourish: "We shall run the world's business, whether the world likes it or not. The world can't help it - neither can we, I guess." Years later, an American President, the late Lyndon B. Johnson, would say, "We cannot and will not withdraw from this world...We are too rich, too powerful and too important."

The chauvinistic arrogance in the words of Mr. Holroyd and Mr. Johnson is too plain to be missed or to need commenting upon.

Today, of course, the dominant economic, political and military power in the world is the United States of America.

Great Britain, once the dominant colonial and imperial power, has played out its role and is now in the shadow of the United States. Great Britain, that was wont to make a conquest of others, has made a shameful conquest of itself.

Today, Great Britain has found a new role as the ventriloquist's dummy of the United States.

Great Britain, whose lion-like roar could once be heard throughout the world, now bleats pathetically like that eunuch, the Pardoner in Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales,' to the accompaniment of the bull-like bellow of the United States, the modern day Summoner of Chaucer.

Great Britain, that prided itself on its observance of the rule of law and Christian morality, has thrown these virtues to the dogs in her determination to please her new master, the United States, and to pursue her own interests.

The former Soviet Union, that once acted as a countervailing force to check the excesses of the West, is now no more. Russia is not the Soviet Union.

For all her huge population, the people's Republic of China does not have the superior military, economic and technological capability of the United States.

Consequently, when America attacks Iraq, she will do so with unchecked impunity.

Even those countries like Russia, China, Canada and France, to mention but a few, that are said to be opposed to a unilateral war against Iraq not sanctioned by the United Nations, will make weak and even hypocritical noises of concern without attempting to stop the aggressor.

As for the Arabs, their contemptible lack of unity, their mutual suspicion and antagonism towards one another, their military weakness and lack of purpose, as well as lack of leadership, will ensure that they play no part or probably get bludgeoned into supporting the United States. At least, they will be too willing to allow their territory to be used as bases for American and British forces. Some of them, anyway.

Why does the United States of America and neutered Britain want to go to war against Iraq?

The ostensible reasons include the following:

*Iraq is accused of having acquired or of acquiring weapons of mass destruction, nuclear, chemical and biological.

*Iraq has consistently refused to comply with United Nations resolutions on the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction.

*Iraq is a threat to the national interests of the United States of America.

*Iraq possesses a poor human rights record as Saddam Hussein executes Iraqi dissidents.

*Saddam Hussein wanted to kill George Bush, Snr., whose son, having also risen, feels that he must avenge all wrongs against his father. *Saddam Hussein's Iraq either harbours terrorists or supports them worldwide.

I have had occasion to explode the shaky grounds on which George Bush and Britain's Tony Blair stand.

As I write this article (Tuesday, January 7, 2003), the UN weapons inspectors combing Iraq have so far failed to turn up evidence that contradicts Iraq's assertion that it has no weapons of mass destruction.

Bush insists that the onus is on Iraq to prove that she has no weapons of mass destruction, instead of Bush proving his case, in line with natural justice and common sense.

In any case, such countries as the United States herself, Israel, Britain, France, Russia, China and others also possess these weapons. What moral or legal justification does America have for planning a war against Iraq?

As for human rights, America supports countries with shocking human rights records. Why does she support them?

One must look at the real reasons why George Bush wants to attack Iraq.

First, Bush has messed up the American economy and his administration has witnessed shocking scandals in industry, with particular reference to oil, communications and accounting practices.

It is an age-old practice for Governments in trouble at home to divert attention by coming up with an internal or external enemy. Bush has found his 'enemy' is Iraq.

Secondly, Jews across the world in general and Israel in particular, would like nothing better than to see the destruction not only of Saddam Hussein but Iraq itself. Bush is doing the bidding of Israel and the Jews in his Cabinet.

Bush and Blair want their countries to be less dependent on Middle East oil, even as, at the same time, they seek to control it.

Ghana's 'Daily Dispatch' of Monday, January 6, 2002 reproduces a 'Newsweek' special issue. Part of it reads, "It (Iraq) has known oil reserves second only to Saudi Arabia's and its prospects are so enticing that oil companies are already jockeying for post-Saddam contracts." Control Middle East oil and the West will be safe.

America has always had a policy of regime change in which she destabilises 'enemy' states and even kills their leaders. Ghana, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Grenada, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Chile, to mention but a few, are examples of American murderous interference as the self-appointed World Policeman.

Iraq is an easy target, and beating her will send signals to other 'enemy' nations to beware. After all, beating up weak nations has been another specialty of the United States. You beat a defenceless dog to frighten an imperial lion, as Shakespeare observes.

So George W. Bush will attack Iraq, whether he has an excuse or not.

He will have the opportunity to test new weapons. Many Iraqi civilians will be deliberately targeted and Bush will cold-bloodedly dismiss the civilian deaths as "collateral damage."

Of course, American military ineptitude will result in more American and allied soldiers being killed by American fire power than enemy fire from Iraq. The record shows that it has always been like that.

Onward, George W. Bush, Onward, America. Your God-ordained destiny is to control the rest of the world. So go ahead. Iraq is there to be raped.

When you have finished, there are such other countries as Iran, North Korea, Russia, the People's Republic of China, Cuba and others waiting to be gobbled up.

Perhaps, when you have done that, your insatiable appetite for State-sponsored terrorism can abate somewhat.

America, Shakespeare says that it is great to have a giant's strength but that it is tyrannous to use it like a giant. Empires have come and gone.

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