If the US and UK administrations fail to provide evidenceThey will be tried before history [Archives:2003/640/Viewpoint]

Editor
Last week, an Iraqi living in Yemen told me that he no more wants his family to stay in Iraq. “Conditions there have become a nightmare. I cannot stand this any more. I just hope they would listen to me and come to Yemen.” he said.
Looking back in time, and remembering the promises of the US administration of bringing a better life for Iraqis, one wonders, isn't this a crisis for the USA in world opinion? Those Iraqis, who were supposed to be freed by US forces, are today suffering humiliation by those very forces, who sometimes -according to eyewitnesses in Iraq- commit outrageous acts that only drunken New York City gangsters would commit. Not only that, but those acts are committed by a foreign force against people who are supposed to be living freely in their own land.
This is not what Americans thought it would turn out to be. Look at the confrontations taking place in various parts of Iraq. Look at the joy of Iraqi citizens when a US helicopter was shot down killing US soldiers on board. Doesn't this show that Iraqis are not happy about the situation?
Two full months have passed since Iraq was as 'liberated' according to Americans and 'occupied' according to some Iraqis. Yet, Iraqis are still waiting for the US-UK promises to be delivered. Where is law enforcement? Where are the basic services of electricity and communications?
Until this very day, Iraqis are lining up in long queues at Red Cross sites so as to call their relatives and love ones in other parts of the world. Many Iraqis are helplessly witnessing the demolishing of houses and arrest of Iraqi men in many areas in the country, while the US insists that it is brining freedom.
The world is now raising the question again about whether this war should have been waged from the start. “Was this war legitimate?”, “Where are the Weapons of Mass Destruction that the US used as a pretext for the war?”, and “Where are the Kuwaiti prisoners?” are questions legitimately asked by Iraqis, and other citizens around the world.
US senators and congressmen are themselves asking about the evidence that was supposed to be shown a long time ago by the US. Former chief UN weapons inspectors Hans Blix is again pouring doubt on the initial 'intelligent' reports presented by the USA and the UK about Iraq's prohibited weapons.
This is a tough test for G.W. Bush and the American administration, which will be tried before mankind history if it could not provide solid proof of the weapons it claimed, existed in Iraq. It will be tried for waging a war against an independent state resulting in human sufferings and the vanishing of thousands of invaluable ancient monuments that resemble the oldest civilization on earth. It will be tried for every human suffering, and for the tears of every Iraqi mother, who lost her child in this war.
Who on earth will be able to bear such a huge responsibility?
Who on earth will be able to withstand so much guilt?
If it turns out that this war had no justification whatsoever, the pain of knowing that this war was waged for no humane reason is a pain that will live with Bush and Blair and their administrations forever, and if they are not tried in any international court for the crimes committed during this war, this eternal pain, which will remain in their inner minds, may be enough as punishment for what they did.
——
[archive-e:640-v:13-y:2003-d:2003-06-09-p:view]