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Reflections on Iraq - as we enter 2007

The media is full of the death of Saddam and there is even footage of his hanging available. Meanwhile, whilst the Americans claim to have had little "involvement" in the trial and sentencing of Saddam [let alone his execution] the IHT reports that the US spent some US$126 million on matters related to Saddam whilst the Iraqis spent a mere US$9 million.

The IHT also reports that Saddam thought he would rule forever:

"For decades, it seemed that Saddam Hussein's unflinching hold on Iraq would endure. The tyrant who oppressed Iraq for more than 30 years — unleashing devastating regional wars and reducing his once promising, oil- rich country to a claustrophobic police state — managed to cling to power even after his disastrous military adventures against first Iran and then Kuwait, where a U.S.-led coalition routed his unexpectedly timid military in 1991.

Saddam's personal conviction — that he was destined by God to rule Iraq forever — was so strong that he refused to accept that he would be overthrown in April 2003, even as American tanks penetrated the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in what became a bitterly contentious, bloody occupation."

Of course the carnage in Iraq continues......and as this piece from Newsday rightly highlights the Iraq Study Report is American-centric and ignores the plight of the poor Iraqis themselves:

"For all the talk about the violence in Iraq, Americans are focusing little attention on the human costs to the Iraqis. The Iraq Study Group report, for example, which is a kind of national temperature gauge of the public's mood, fails to express much sympathy or regret for the chaos and colossal loss of Iraqi lives. In this oversight, if that's what it is, an essential lesson is lost about this war.

The Iraq Study Group includes a number of references to the hardship and danger for U.S. forces. It speaks of growing violence caused by insurgents, militias and criminals. But where is the analysis of the role of the U.S. military in the violence and carnage suffered by the Iraqi people?"

Interestingly, sitting alongside an American couple in a Paris restaurant last night celebrating New Year's eve, the husband [a teacher in literature in an inner city school on Rhode Island ] commented, without any equivocation, that he had supported the War initially but not now - and went on to say that if he had his way he would "carpet bomb" the "entire country", bring the troops home and "declare victory". Hmmmmm!!!!!! Let's hope his views aren't too widespread in the US.

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