The thoughts of the world are focused on political events. This is not only because of movements of troops to the Gulf to eliminate the weapons of mass destruction that were permitted to build up for more than twelve years with the blessings of the western powers.
It is also because of the double standards that prevail. The blessing have been withdrawn. Attempts are being made to erase the traces of the old plot so that we can begin again with a clean slate, no matter if blood has to be spilt in the process.
More than ever before in my lifetime (which soon will be seventy years) have I seen such contradictions, lies, deceit, broken promises and sacrifice of thousands of innocent human lives.
All this because of the despicable actions of one man, allowed by the world powers for over twenty years to destroy, kill, poison and cause havoc to his neighbors and his own people.
Silence by the Western governments over his atrocities amounted to consent to his actions. Today world public opinion rejects them. But it also rejects the ruthless methods with which these powers propose to remove him. There are other options, it is widely felt, which could achieve his removal without causing further suffering to the Iraqi people or hardship to the soldiers now gathering in the Gulf.
Such methods would foster among the peoples of the region greater trust for the West led by the United States. They would send a humanitarian message, rather than raise suspicion as to the motives of the Western powers.
The peoples of the region are with the West for the removal of Saddam Hussein and his war machine. But they are against their removal by means of a war against Iraq and its people. They firmly believe that you do not fight evil with evil, especially after the experience of the war to eradicate the Taleban and capture Osama Bin Laden. For all we know, Bin Laden is free and the Taleban movement is still alive.
Let us stop playing hide and seek in the Security Council, the European Union, the Arab League, the Non-Aligned meetings.
The millions in the democratic world said it loudly, and in the less democratic world, less loudly: No war over Iraq. Efforts should shift from threatening world order and human decency to effective means for the removal of Saddam. War might set Saddam loose, throw the region back centuries and strain relations between nations without achieving the hoped-for gains.
The inspectors are now under pressure to compromise their efforts. Igor Ivanov, the Russian foreign minister, warned a few days ago that “very strong pressure” was being exerted on UN weapons inspectors in Iraq. The Financial Times of Friday, Feb. 21 adds that “other UN diplomats suggest that pressure on Hans Blix, the chief UN inspector, has become a fact of life.” It is difficult to know who is honest and who is not: No world leader or nation can today be taken for granted. The Pope has repeatedly stated his opposition to war on Iraq. The world will remember with respect leaders who show such humility rather than kill innocent Iraqis in pursuit of an assassin whose international license has expired.
Arab News Features 24 February 2003