The capture of Saddam Hussein was not a real surprise to many
observers -it was only a matter of time. But no one should think
this will bring an end to the bloody situation in Iraq. The fall of
a dictator like Saddam, in a country like Iraq, with all its social
and ethnic complexities, will only open the door to fiercer
fighting than that we have already seen. Those who fought for
Saddam may give up, but those who did not fight for him will be
encouraged to fight for their own sake. No one will take victory
from them. Those who can be hired to fight for cheque-payers will
do that as long as there is someone willing to pay.
Iraq will be a greater attraction for dreamers and adventurers of
all kinds; fundamentalists and nationalists alike - those who have
nothing to lose or nowhere to go. It will remain unstable there for
many years to come. President Bush, who claimed he came to Iraq to
bring freedom and democracy, has already realized the heavy price
the Iraqi people are paying for something they may never get. The
misery Bush has brought to the Iraqi people must be a lesson for
the future. The US has returned the world to an era of colonialism,
exploiting the resources of the colonized countries. We have all
witnessed the arguments about the contracts for "the rebuilding of
Iraq", but we all know that at the end of the day, Iraq will pay
the bills.
Stability, security and democracy are still a long way off for
Iraq. The capture of Saddam Hussein will open the race for all
those who feel their dream of ruling Iraq is becoming more
realistic. This could be the beginning of the end, but that end is
still far off.
While the US sinks further and further into the mud of Iraq, the
situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is getting worse.
The widespread impression is that Israel is using American
involvement in Iraq to act with a free hand in the Occupied
Territories. The recent calls by some Israeli leaders to take
unilateral action and withdraw should be a source of fear for
everyone. These calls are not meant to solve the problem but to
further complicate it. These leaders have realized this is an
historical opportunity for Israel to establish its borders
according to it's own vision, regardless of Palestinian interests.
The US presidential elections are approaching, reminding President
Bush of his need to curry favor with the Jewish Lobby and the
Christian Right. Israel is advancing its colonial policy, expanding
Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories, building the
separation barrier and making unilateral decisions.
The suffering of the Palestinian people is beyond endurance. The
systematic humiliation of an entire population has became normal
Israeli behavior in the Occupied Territories. While there may be a
flurry of new initiatives and peace plans, there have been no
changes on the ground.
The new Palestinian government is making serious efforts to change
the status quo, but its hands are tied by closures and curfews. It
is obvious nothing will move without American support, but it is
equally obvious that the US is too busy to do anything on the
ground. The rest of the international community should participate
more in the efforts to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The
US needs to push the Road Map forward, backing up words with
action. This administration has done nothing that could remind us
of Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East after the 1973
October War, or James Baker's efforts after the first Iraqi war in
1991.
It is time to end the Israeli occupation, to end the suffering of
the Palestinian people, and to bring peace and security to both the
Israelis and the Palestinians. Allowing Israel a free hand to
continue building its apartheid wall and dictating a unilateral
settlement will make peace and security impossible for either side.