Opinion Editorials, July 2007
June 2007 Opinion Editorial Links
|
|
Zalmay Khalilzad and the Partition of Iraq
By Abbas Ali
ccun.org, July 1, 2007
The Los Angeles Times reported (June 25) that Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad -- "have been quietly talking with lawmakers about" creating a "sharply decentralized Iraq." Ambassador Khalilzad belongs to a School of Thought, neo-conservatism, which promotes, among others, that democratic, free thinker intellectual, and prosperous Arabs are a threat and that a stable and free Iraq does not serve U.S. national interests. Before the invasion of Iraq, Ambassador Khalilzad was instrumental in strengthening Iraqis in exile who were interested in a fragmented Iraq. During his tenure as Ambassador for Iraq he worked hard to polarize Iraqi society, incited discord, and closely cooperated with ethnic and religious groups which shared his vision for a weak and partitioned Iraq.
The new proposition for establishing a "sharply decentralized Iraq" is not only a plot to weaken the central government but a well-conceived plan to deepen the suffering of the Iraqi people, maintain chaos in the Middle East, and strengthen extremists. The proposal was advanced in the 1970's and well articulated in 1982 in the Journal of Judaism and Zionism, KIVUNIM (Directions). Those who advocate chaos and partitioning Iraq are primarily motivated by their hatred of Iraqis and the Arab people. They actually want to transform Iraq into a safe haven for (those who would) perpetuate chaos in the region.
There are some who believe that Iraq has already passed the point of no return, and it has no future. The majority of the Iraqi people, however, still have a belief in a democratic, free and unified country. It is possible for Iraqis to achieve their cherished dream if Iraq is not occupied. The (Bush administration can realize this objective) if two steps are taken:
1. Appoint individuals to plan and implement Iraqi policy who have an interest in having a free, democratic, and stable Iraq. Since the invasion, most of the appointed individuals subscribed to neoconservative beliefs that a free Iraq is a threat to U.S. interests. Iraq is an Arab and Muslim country whose fate should not be left to those who harbor deep resentments to the Arab people' aspirations for independence and freedom.
2. Iraq, free of occupation, will be a healthy and functional country. Occupied Iraq is a threat to the safety and security of the Iraqi people and their neighbors. Each day that passes while Iraq is occupied is a victory to terrorists and extremists.
The UN recently reported that more than 4.3 million Iraqis are refugees and that their safety and the welfare of their children are in real danger. The Iraqis experience tragedies daily, and according to many news reports, their lives have become a living hell. In this context, the proposal to have a "sharply decentralized Iraq" resembles in its spirit and scope the Nazi action against the Jewish people.
Abbas J. Ali, Ph.D. Professor and Director, School of International Management, Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
||||||
