MUSCAT, 21 April 2004 — When American forces and their allies entered Iraq over a year ago, tempting promises were made and a bright future was outlined to the people of Iraq — a future full of prosperity, good living conditions, security, justice, stability and democracy.
The people of Iraq were told they would be the decision-makers and governed by Iraqis in accordance with a constitution whose principles are based on the culture and heritage of their land.
The Iraqis waited, patiently, for the promises to come true. And it has been more than a year now, but none of the promises has been fulfilled.
Rather, the situation is getting worse, day by day. There is no security; nor are there civic services. Iraq is in the grip of a cycle of violence and the Iraqi citizen is a prisoner of fear. The situation has reached such a pass that when one leaves one’s home, one is not sure of returning safely, for the daily explosions are killing the innocent — men, women and children.
The rate of unemployment has reached shocking levels; the prices have shot up. The Iraqi children — away from schools and hit by violence and sounds of bullets — are getting lost in a maze. Alarmed, they are raising questions about their future.
The situation that prevails in Iraq today and the violent confrontations between the Iraqi armed groups and the coalition forces in most Iraqi cities, especially in Fallujah, is a natural outcome of the policy of the coalition forces. The Iraqis have lost all hope that the American forces came for their liberation; they have lost hope, after waiting for a year, that the coalition forces would leave their country; they have come to the conclusion that it is occupation under the guise of liberation.
The daily violent confrontations between the Iraqis and coalition forces in streets across Iraq reveal a number of facts. One is that the Iraqi people no longer believe in the promises dished out by the US administration.
The brutality of the American forces and their allies in dealing with the situation raises more than one question, especially in light of indiscriminate attacks, including the shelling a mosque. This trigger-happy approach has caused many deaths and injuries. The belligerent attitude should have made way to calm and concerted efforts to avoid bloodshed, especially as the US administration bears responsibility for the present plight of Iraq.
The plight of Iraq reminds us of the situation in the occupied Palestinian lands. The events unfolding in Palestine and Iraq are identical: There are daily confrontations and unaccounted deaths.
No one dares question the Israelis or the coalition forces over the crimes of killing the innocents.
The scale of force being used is inappropriate and disproportional. The Israeli forces in Palestine and the coalition forces in Iraq are armed with latest weapons whereas the sons of intifada in Palestine and Iraqis in various cities defend themselves with just strong willpower and primitive weapons.
The coalition forces are determined to use brute force so that the Iraqis accept all their conditions.
The international community has to make a firm stand to end the bloodshed and protect innocent people. The UN has to intervene in the Iraqi affair. It should play its due role and replace the coalition forces with international forces to restore order to the streets of Iraq. This is a logical step, as the US administration had entered Iraq without UN approval and dragged the country to a deadlock.
The whole world, led by the UN, should move to break the cycle of daily violence and murders in Iraq and to save Iraq and its people.
— Essa bin Mohammed Al-Zedjali is editor in chief of The Times of Oman.
