|
Two caliphates in Baghdad, simultaneously…
are we crazy?
Ben Tanosborn
ccun.org, July 4, 2008
The Brits made an imperial mess of Iraq back in 1930, now it is
America’s turn!
We followed the fate of the French in Vietnam; are trying hard to
imitate the Russians in Afghanistan; and now, our
emulation-in-progress is of our beloved European cousins. Who
would ever think that it was an American philosopher (by way of
Spain), George Santayana, who stated just a century ago, “Those who
cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” And
American government leaders always seem to be the forgetful ones,
although as it happens in all these cases, it is the American people
who are condemned to pay the consequences in both blood and dollars.
We are not even speaking of millennia ago, or even centuries; only
the recent past. How can we be so forgetful as to how the
British bamboozled a timid Iraqi Parliament, where the true
nationalists lacked a voiced, into signing an agreement in 1930 that
would have Iraq in turmoil with coup after coup until Saddam Hussein
came to power in 1979? And we all know what has happened since
then. Seventy-eight years later here we are, cramming down
their throats an illegal “strategic alliance” that is similar in
both content and tone to that Great Britain “imposed” on Iraq almost
eight decades ago.
And I say illegal for both Iraq and the United States. For
Iraq, it’s a non-valid agreement since it will be contracted under
duress from an occupier’s demands, whatever excuses are brought
forward to obtain legitimacy. For the US, it’s also an invalid
pact unless it is subsequently ratified by the US Senate. We
are told that the wording in this strategic alliance has been
crafted so as to “avoid such ratification.” Nonsense, if the
provisions in such agreement or alliance have the underlying intent
of a treaty, it is a treaty; and as a treaty, constitutionally, it
must be ratified.
True that the American Executive Branch has been operating for
decades outside of the Constitution in taking the nation to war
(undeclared war) and entering into treaties (or agreements) thanks
to a spineless Senate and the de-facto consent of Americans, who
really care little, or are brainwashed by the White House, unless
the conflict turns sour.
It is remarkable that the two senators who will be contending for
the highest office in the land next November, McCain and Obama,
aren’t exercising their duty as senators, making this issue one of
national concern, one to be handled with both transparency and care.
Malfeasance in office by members of the Senate made Bush’s invasion
of Iraq fait accompli; once again, it will be malfeasance if the
senate remains blind, deaf and mute to this travesty.
It is interesting that Barack Obama claims that “had he been a
member of the Senate back in 2002, he would have voted against
granting Bush permission to invade Iraq.” Well, he is a member
of the Senate now… but one hears little noise from him on this
important issue, one that could keep the United States involved in
the Middle East until the area runs out of oil or Israelis,
whichever comes last . Time for deeds, Sen. Obama!
Iraq does not appear to be willing to have the U.N. mandate extended
beyond its current expiration date, at the end of this year; and the
US really doesn’t care whether its effective control is through a
mandate granted by the U.N. or an agreement with a government which
may not be of unity or consensus. The US must have a tacit
control of Iraq’s oil while maintaining a solid military presence in
that part of the world to counter not just Iran and its nuclear
aspirations, but any “problems” that may emerge anywhere in
Southwest Asia.
Although the hush-hush negotiations on the Strategic Framework
Agreement and the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) had reached an
impasse by the second week in June – Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
referring the deadlock on what his government felt were critical
sovereignty issues – both Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari and
Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad (US) appear confident that an agreement
will soon be reached since both countries are committed to a joint
security pact. Yes, we will have two caliphates out of
Baghdad; one ran locally by Iraqis, the other ran by Americans as
part of the Empire.
What remains to be seen, even if an agreement is reached, is whether
the US Senate will once again capitulate to the White House,
allowing its duties and responsibilities to be usurped by Imperator
George W. Bush. And whether the American people really give a
damn now that they are paying over $4 per gallon of gasoline, soon
projected to be $5, which when added to the other economic miseries
the country is enduring calls for either a revolution or surrender.
My bet is on the latter.
Ben Tanosborn
www.tanosborn.com
ben@tanosborn.com
|
