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As
life turns ugly for US and coalition forces in Iraq,
the United States has magically produced the worlds
"needle in a haystack".
Saddam
Hussein, ex-employee of the American Government by
US occupying forces has been extracted from his "haystack"
in Iraq. If in fact that which all the worlds media
have leapt upon during the past week is true to appearances,
rather than the equally feasible possibility that
expert work has been accomplished courtesy of high-tech
"Hollywood-style" special effects teams
used to present a long US incarcerated Saddam and
offered to domestic American and world media as a
much needed Christmas present in the face of escalating
Iraqi insurgencies, causing much death and suffering
amongst US military in Iraq and growing concern on
the domestic front.
As
the festive season in the West approaches, and life
becomes increasingly ugly for coalition troops facing
an insurgency of increasing intensity, the coalition
is not only gloating over it's latest acquisition
and praising it's own efforts, but those Nations such
as Great Britain and Australia who have long opposed
the death penalty are happily agreeing to it's application
in this "perfectly ordinary" example of
"extraordinary" human rights abuses by yet
another of histories "bad men". There is
much relief for all the wrong reasons for George W
Bush and his team of empire builders, and all the
right reasons for a world desiring peace and security.
And the principles of those States professed reverence
for Christian doctrine.
The
question of crime and punishment is bringing to light
some interesting contradictions from those who profess
to be Christian States and who have long done away
with the death penalty, such as the United States
two key allies in Iraq; Great Britain and Australia.
Jesus
Christ reportedly told his apostles, "Let he
who is without sin, cast the first stone". Australia's
Prime Minister has already eagerly consented to stamp
his seal of approval to put Saddam Hussein to death
should that be the verdict of any trial. How ironic
indeed that he who is eager to cast the first stone
is he who blatantly lied to the Australian people
regarding Iraqi asylum seekers "throwing their
children into the ocean", and going on to an
election campaign campaign usingn the slogan "we
don't want people like that in this country",
in order (believe it or not) to persuade a nation
to re-elect him and his far right wing government
for a third term in office.
As
William Rivers Pitt, former Iraqi weapons inspector
points out, "it all sounds pretty deranged, right"?
Especially so since all associated with this "monsters
hiding in a rat-hole his "rat-hole" have
been on the US governments payroll for years".
There
is a well known (to Australians) piece of comic film
making in which two characters, one full of "over
the top: ideas, the other a realist who in response
to every grand schemes of his cohort replies in a
dry monotone", "your dreaming" that
puts me in mind of the Bush Administrations latest
attempt to quell the violence and insurgency in Iraq.
Quite plainly,"they're dreaming".
Those
filmed for the worlds eager media corps celebrating
the fall of Saddam's statue at the beginning of the
present occupation, and now the similar scenes of
jubilation of a "chosen" crowd of cheering
Iraqi's although guaranteed to manipulate world opinion
once again, does not reflect the reality in an occupied
State. This is such a fundamental point but one which
so many refuse to acknowledge. It is simplicity itself
in terms of propaganda. People by nature en-masse
will be moved and emotional. Many can even display
euphoria without being aware of what it is that is
moving them. Such has been proven in studies of crowd
behavior. Close range cinematography of isolated groups
of the most, emotive and active sends a powerful message,
but what proportion of the population of Iraq do such
scenes represent?
Few
of those who read the non-mainstream press are un-aware
of that which is at play beyond the publicly sanctioned
propaganda used to distract from the "real"
political and geo-strategic agenda. Those realists
amongst us face a difficult task, being as it were
up against a highly effective, no expense spared,
State propaganda apparatus. There are so many important
contradictions and 'facts' that do not hold up to
the mildest scrutiny but for most, such hardly seems
to make any difference. Thus the questions raised
as to how effective dissent can be, no matter how
well researched, verified and promoted. Can it penetrate
the wall of disengaged fatalist self-obsessed individuals
concerned only with their own personal survival? it
mayll be that words are no longer enough for such
mind numbing complacencecy in the face of a ruthlessness
that threatens the future survival of humanity.
A
point of particular interest is that relating to Great
Britain and Australia. The only two countries that
committed military forces to the invasion and occupation
of Iraq. Both of these States have abandoned the death
penalty as the ultimate punishment, yet both condone
such, should any court impose it upon Saddam Hussein.
In reality Saddam may have been a tin-pot dictator
of an impotent Middle East State due largely to Western
Sanctions (which caused the deaths of millions and
immeasurable suffering) and arms embargoes for the
past decade, since Iraq fell foul of US foreign policy,
but Saddam is being held up to the world as the embodiment
of the evil that the fraudulent "war on terrorism"
is hoped to evoke in the psyche of the worlds peoples.
In other words, Saddam Hussein is but a small player
in a far bigger agenda.
That
the Christian world finds no contradiction in its
treatment of this man is difficult to reconcile and
for Christians themselves, I would be interested to
hear them justify their stance. The principal teachings
of Jesus Christ as written by the apostles in the
Bible state clearly "forgive thy enemy".
Christian teaching in the West has become, like so
many things, corrupted and meaningless professed Christians
such as Australian Prime Minister John Howard see
no contradiction in refusing refugees asylum from
oppression, persecution and war. He believes that
to lie, deceive and knowingly condemn a people is
acceptable Christian behavior. The West is spiritually
corrupt, the Church ridden with Priests who sexually
abuse minors and claims of widespread decadence are
not only irrefutable but also a fact of modern Christianity.
It
is simply not possible to maintain that in the 21st
century the United States is either "Christian",
"Democratic" or "Peace-loving".
Let
us briefly reflect upon the proceedings that have
led us to the present point.
The
push for war long before March 2003 was based upon
Hussein's arsenal of 26,000litres of Anthrax, 38,ooo
liters of botulinum toxin, 1000,ooo pounds of Sarin
gas, along with 30,000 munitions capable of delivering
these agents to the streets of America. Not to mention
Uranium from Niger to be used in nuclear weapons.
Also, Al qaeda terrorists were closely associated
with Iraq who was ready and willing to use the listed
weapons against Americans and it's allies. Absolutely
none of these agents have since been discovered. There
is also no evidence of Alqaeda affiliations. Hussein,
contrary to State Department and Presidential claims
had nothing to do with the September 11 attacks in
the US. A fact that prompted President Bush to make
such a declaration himself.
It
is now widely accepted that such "evidence"
was invented to scare the American people into supporting
and condoning an unjust, illegal and immoral war against
a harmless State.
The
"war" has thus far made a few Bush cronies
such as Vice President Dick Chenney and other Neo-Conservatives
rich beyond they're wildest dreams of avarice. Halliburton,
Chenney's global multi-national corporation has had
the pick of the crop of Iraqi reconstruction contracts.
The
lies, adapted as the claimed evidence failed to materialize
and the empathis became predictably one of "humanitarian
concern for an oppressed Iraqi people. The powers
of good. The peaceful freedom loving altruistic USA
changed the ground rules to matters regarding human
rights abuses. The century old American propaganda
system did not fail to convince a brainwashed world.
For generations in the West Russia was spelt E-V-I-L
and America G-O-O-D.
As
one Iraqi named Kashid Ahmed Saleh was reported saying
in the New York Times a week ago, " we are fighting
for freedom and because the Americans are Jews. The
governing council is a bunch of looters and criminals
and mercenaries. We cannot expect that stability in
this country will ever come from them. The principal
is based upon religious and tribal loyalties. The
religious principal is that we cannot except to live
with infidels. The prophet Muhammad, peace be on him,
said, "hit the infidels wherever you find them.
"We are also a tribal people. We cannot allow
strangers to rule over us". Such words could
be interpreted equally valid within a Western anti-Islamic
fundamentalist context.
The
"capture" of Saddam Hussein will entrench
amongst moderate Iraqi's and Arabs in general the
belief that there is now no good reason for the US
and coalition forces to remain in Iraq yet four permanent
military bases are intended for the country. The Americans
have no intention of departing. I am sorry to report
that the war may now begin in earnest.
Saddam
Hussein cannot be put on trial publicly by the Americans
for the obvious reason that he may very well start
citing American complicity in his crimes during the
past thirty years and the "back pay" he
owed by the US government.
Saddam
Hussein, as is now abundantly clear, was never a threat
to the US or the world. His capture will not increase
the prospects for the peace and security of the planet
or for the US. If anything, we can expect a contrary
scenario developing.
This
world will remain an increasingly dangerous place
for you, your children and future generations until
the number one aggressor and terrorist State learns
to use it's global hegemony taking into consideration
issues of morality, ethics, altruism, equity and human
rights.
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