More random thoughts

Some more random thoughts about the war:

Seeing the people of Iraq celebrating the end of Saddam's regime was a fantastic sight. Anyone who still, despite this, managed to snort with derision and launch once more into the numerous (and in some cases, well founded) reasons that the US is doing the Arab world a disservice must be hard hearted indeed.

So, no Weapons of Mass Destruction were used. None were found (so far). No Al-Quaida training facilities have been unearthed. Yet the sophistry and spin would have you believe differently. We have been told that "Materials likely to be used for chemical weapons" have been discovered. Would it sound less impressive if it were pointed out that the average public swimming pool, with it's reasonably large stock of chlorine, has materials that could be used in chemical warfare?

This morning also saw the announcement that Abul Abbas, the Palestinian who planned the terrorist hijack of a cruise liner some 16 years ago (during which a paraplegic American hostage was murdered), has been captured in Baghdad. No doubt this will be touted as proof of terrorist links to Saddam's regime. Proof? Erm...well, not really. Abbas had renounced violence, had been allowed by the Israeli government (not noted for it's forgiving attitude toward Palestinian terrorists) to visit Gaza numerous times, and America had dropped the warrant for his arrest. If this is proof that the Iraqi government has links to terrorism, then we in the UK must be guilty of the same thing. More so in fact, as we have Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness (former IRA members) in our Parliament.

The looting in Iraq's major cities seems to be dying down (if only because there is nothing left to steal). Some people have seen fit to blame the coalition forces for the looting. Which is true in that it was they who overthrew the Ba'ath regime. But bearing in mind that there are 25,000 troops in Baghdad who need to control 5 million people, doesn't it strike anyone else as rather petty minded and pathetic of those most fervently anti-war voices to try and lay all the blame for this at the coalitions door? We're talking about a nation that has suffered oppression of the worst sort, so it's not entirely surprising that we are now seeing the most basic expression of newly acquired freedom (i.e. Do What Thou Wilt is the whole of the law). And a few troops are expected to police it? Please; I’m opposed to this ugly little land grab, but if you're going to be anti-war then at least try and keep within spitting distance of reality.

Has anyone, at any point, sat Dubya down and explained the principles of diplomacy to him? He and his administration seem incapable of expressing themselves by any means other than threats. Worried about your allies not supporting your actions? Threaten them with a trade embargo. Worried about countries that border the one you've invaded offering sanctuary to people you want captured? Threaten them with war. Worried about Arab's from elsewhere in the middle-east fighting US troops in Iraq? Threaten each and every nation that the originated from.

America is now condemning (and, naturally, threatening) Syria for sheltering members of the former Iraqi government. Is this the same America that has trained, equipped, and if things go horribly wrong, offered sanctuary to Christ knows how many South and Central American tinpot dictators over the past few decades?

One of the major objections to this war was that the US was being very selective in which dictators it was removing. However, couldn't the bullishness and threatening language emanating from Washington at the moment be interpreted as the US answering that very criticism? If America did turn this oil war into some sort of crusade against dictatorships, wouldn't that be a good thing in principle (if not in practice)?

Speaking of crusades, why is Dubya doing his very best to prove the fears of the Islamic world correct by only bullying Moslem countries? I mean, I hate to bang on about this but North Korea and Israel are not exactly behaving like angels, yet they continue to be left to their own devices. Anyone would think that certain members of the Bush and Blair governments want terrorism to increase in order to limit personal liberties. I'm not entirely sure I believe that myself, but one can certainly see why many other do.

There seems to be some sort of religious tension in Iraq at the moment. A senior Shiite cleric was murdered a few days after he returned to Iraq from the UK. Yet another cleric was given 48 hours to leave Iraq. And the Shiite’s seem to be the most vocal out of all Iraqi groups opposed to US involvement in setting up a new government. I suspect that there is more than meets the eye here.

There would also seem to be a racial war brewing in the north of Iraq. The Kurds have wanted their own country for years (Kurdistan is divided between Iraq and Turkey at the moment). There has already been fighting between Kurds and Arabs in the northern city of Mosul, and the Turks make no secret of the fact that they would regard annexation of Northern Iraq by themselves as preferable to a Kurdish nation. This all adds up to more interesting times.

If you want a blueprint of what will happen in Iraq now that the war is basically over, look no further than Afghanistan. The US promised millions in aid to the fledgling Afghan government. Would you care to guess how much has been set aside for them in Dubya's most recent budget? Approximately....nothing. Zero. Not a sausage. Afghanistan is still in chaos; chances are that Iraq will be just as messed up as a nation this time next year. Add to that the possibility of racially and religiously motivated conflict within the country, and one has cause to worry that this conflict is just the beginning of the bloodshed.

Am I alone in wanting this whole thing to be over so we can have something on the news other than War? After all, we have other things to think about. Things like the global spread of the SARS virus, the faltering Northern Ireland peace process, and the trial of Maxine Carr and Ian Huntley...actually, can we keep the war going as long as possible?! Okay, so soldiers and civilians are dying every day, but it makes for more positive viewing and reading than any other world events...