Salvaging the Iraqi Government [Archives:2006/947/Opinion]
Abdulbari Taher
The Iraqi elections took place months ago and witnessed an eye-catching voter turnout and serenity which was a source of surprise for observers. These elections embodied Iraqis' wish for the restoration of their freedom and the rebuilding of their war-shattered country.
What made the elections a great success was the dilemma of the American administration, for it, in general, and the Neo-Conservatives, in particular, have made Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and spreading democracy the only reasons for occupying Iraq. As to the claim that Iraq possessed WMD before the American invasion, inspections by the American administration, ludicrously, bore-out that Bush's claims were baseless.
The accusations of relations between Saddam's regime and Al-Qaida had fallen short from the first days of war. Ironically, the American occupation is now held responsible for bringing Al-Qaida, Al-Zarkawi and the shades of global terrorism into Iraq. Bush's administration has no more entreaties to play upon either in front of the American People or international public opinion except that of 'spreading democracy'. Thus, with ever increasing of war losses, the only choice left was to calm down the political situation in Iraq.
Excepting Al-Zarkawi's group, elections seem to have been the general desire of all parties. America and Britain, who are the main players, wanted to have a window for a political solution in an attempt to slow down the spiraling level of popular resistance and create the impression that democratic transformation in Iraq had been realized. The fulfillment of the promise of democracy suggests at the victory of America in Iraq. The task, according to Bush, has been performed. Yet Iraqis, whatever their tendencies, see that elections are the best means by which they can respect each other. Their wishes will be met in this regard with the evacuation of American forces, or at least, with the creation of a timeline for evacuation.
It is likely that the demand for fixing a deadline for withdrawal of the occupying armies is the cause for the high voter turnout. Moreover, this was the reason for the Occupation armies to provide an atmosphere of security, peace and stability to the country.
Yet, every party in this deadly political game has its own calculation. Shiites claim to be the majority sect, while Sunnis declare that they are a key party that should not be ignored, especially in regards to the resistance. Kurds seem to be the most united and coherent party.
Though most parties tended to accept the democratic option, continued violence seems to be inescapable. The two warring parties, America and Britain on one side and Al-Zarkawi and his group on the other, have bid on “terrorism” more than betting on democracy and peace. As for Al-Qaida, leaders refuse democracy entirely. Similarly, Bush wants Iraqi democracy to have all the formal aspects of a democratic government with a fake core in order to retain American bases in Iraq indefinitely. According to the Washington Post, playing upon the differences between Sunnis and Shiites and changing the techniques of control, in addition to hinting at dividing Iraq, expresses such sinister aim.
Thus, the inchoate Iraqi government is stillborn because of factional and partisan differences. It is known that elections were conducted with the same factional and partisan inclinations even within the same sect. There are many sub-groups comprising the Shiite sect and this indicates that the sectarian game is conditional and can be bypassed when engaging in national political dialogue. The occupying forces play on the idea of sectarianism and this danger of sectarian division threatens the whole region, not solely Iraq. The Arab world is built upon tribes and factions together with prehistoric affiliations undermining modern attitudes and civilization.
Iraq aspires to get rid of American colonizers and the terrorist attacks of
Al-Zarkawi, but this can only achieved when Iraqis dismiss sectarianism and eliminate factionalism. They should agree on distributing the ministerial posts according to honesty and capability, not according to cronyism. What is surprising is that some parties want Iraq, which thousand years ago was the birthplace of solidified and united city-states and empires, to be divided according to factional and partisan biases.
Factionalism will always present, but the manner of dealing with it is the most important thing as it can divide people creating moments of discrimination, extermination and marginalization allowing various fake and false identities to dominate. Al-Zarkawi and his followers play roles that are more dangerous than those played by American and British armies in creating discord. They place Shiites on equal footing with Crusaders, targeting Iraqis, Shiites in particular, more than targeting American or British occupiers. The occupation forces, though cruel and violent, gather people indirectly to defend their national Iraqi identity, while Al-Zarkawi gather people according to factional and religious bases. The two warring parties, even when they attack each other, support and complement each other and each party finds in the other party a justification for its existence.
The important task at the moment is to disintegrate the mechanisms of the factional address. The demobilization of factional Shiite and Sunni militias, rationalizing the political agenda, avoiding factional divisions and putting to the interest of Iraqi people first is the only safe plan for defeating both the occupation armies and terrorism.
Thus, forcing-out the occupation forces and defeating terrorism are interrelated. Elections were the gateway for removing both Bush and Bin Laden from Iraq's future. Bush and his Neo-Conservative fellow travelers have resorted to alluding to the artifice of civil war and factional division. Bin Laden, Al-Zarkawi and Al-Dawhri openly call for holy war and factional extermination and they wage a hellish war against the majority of the secular and Shiite factions in Iraq.
Abdulbari Taher is a Yemeni Journalist and the former chairman of Yemeni Journalists Syndicate.
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[archive-e:947-v:14-y:2006-d:2006-05-18-p:opinion]
