Fate is at it again. Just one day after celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace, Jesus - also Islam's Prophet, Issa - the farce “Appeal” of Iraq's legitimate President, Saddam Hussein and his co-defendents of the country's legitimate government, was predictably rejected by Iraq's (actually the US's) kangaroo court, announcing they were to hang, within thirty days.
President Bush's little helper, fellow crusader, Anthony Blair, Q.C., and his family were on a British Airways flight to Miami, which on landing, reportedly over-ran the runway, skidded, missed a turning and smashed a few landing lights, attracting the response of relevant emergency crews. What a metaphor for Bush and Blair's Iraq disaster: out of time, turnings and all manoeuvring space. And for the man who says “history will judge” him on Iraq and felt “the hand of history on my shoulder”, in Northern Ireland - another suppurating, historic British folly. Perhaps he may have reflected (as a professed, devout Christian) that the hand of a higher Being might have been sending a warning to be heeded.
As he headed off to another allegedly free holiday with another ageing pop star (not this time to the villa of former Italian President Sylvio Berlusconi, whose local difficulties with taxes have drawn a Blair Minister's husband into Court, as a Defendant, in Rome) or a freebie in Sharm El Sheikh. A “war” Prime Minister averse to the risk of bombing, perhaps. Did he reflect the irony? Scuttling off to the “land of the free” (creator of Guantánamo and Abu Ghraibs's horrors, negator of most meaningful national and international laws) and of his equally “devout” Master's Voice, perhaps another Voice was having a crisis of patience with both.
As Blair was perhaps unpacking his guitar, anticipating a jam with former Bee Gee, Robin Gibb (clearly singer Cliff Richard, whose Barbados pile he previously comadeered, is yesterday's man.) Bush's day had included another deluded statement : “Today marks a milestone for Iraq.” From: “Mission accomplished”; “Let freedom reign” after the outcome of bribed and corrupt
elections, to “tipping points”, and “last remnants of the insurgents”, Iraq has, totally predictably, to any observer with a whit of knowledge of the country and the region, gone from disaster to apocalypse, for Iraqis and invaders, as the US-bound body bags mount. Not so much as a “milestone” as a
millstone, till the end of the disgraced duos tenures - and their tombstone
in history. For Iraqis, simply another “milestone” to die for. Oh, by the way, the reference to Blair's guitar: he learned to strum while at Oxford University, where he founded a band called “Ugly Rumours”. Perhaps he was
youthfully clairvoyant, given those he spread regarding Iraq's non-existent WMDs.
Meanwhile, puppet “Prime Minister”, Nuri Al Maliki, greeted the news “with Delight”, according to the Jordan Times, who also reminds that the attempted assassination of Saddam Hussein at Dujail, in 1982, which elicited the predictable response, was planned and attempted by the pro-Iranian Dawa Party (when Iran and Iraq were at war, with the US providing arms to both) which he represents. Dujail had ceded to Iran. Ceding to an enemy country in time of war, would be an act of high treason anywhere on earth. “Iraq's martyrs can now smile again”, Maliki is quoted as saying. Be careful what you wish for: remember the last (British) invasion imposed Prime Minister? His end at the hands of a people who wanted their country back, was bloody in the extreme. His name too, ironically, was Nuri (al Sa'ad.) History, ancient and modern, repeats, uncannily, in Iraq.
It repeated last week: on 12th May 1996, on “60 Minutes”, Madeleine Albright, then US Ambassador to the UN, was asked by Leslie Stahl, if the lives of half a million Iraqi children “were worth it”, in order to rid the world of Saddam Hussein. Albright (blithely ignoring all aspects of legality) in words which will haunt her beyond the grave, replied : “It's a hard choice, but the price, we think the price is worth it”. As the cost in the lives of US soldiers, in this murderous hiding to nowhere, exceeded another “milestone”: the number of those who died on 9/11 (Iraqis, of course have a 9/11 death toll, monthly) US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, said she believed the cost in lives and money was “worth it”. Seven more US soldiers died on runway, Tuesday, but now in US lives too, ten years later: “the price is worth it”.
The (London) Morning Star's succinct header (23rd December 2006) was: “655,000 dead, $350 billion squandered and the cradle of civilisation in ruins ... Iraq war is worth it.” The cost in Iraqi lives, is of course, far higher. The official estimates of “embargo related” deaths are 1.5 million. But the US/UK driven Iraq embargo bit so deep, that many deaths were not reported; countless families simply devoid of money for transport to the nearest relevant government office to record the death. Many also, poignantly, did not because they would lose the food ration of the loved departed - which meant a little more for the rest of the family. Many families ate in rote, to give a larger portion to the others. Children fainted in school, the reply as to why, when they recovered, was often: “It is not my turn to eat today.”
By 1998, one quarter of under-fives suffered severe malnutrition, leading to growth and mental impairment, nutritionist Dr Amal Swidon told this writer,
adding that these figures were just: “the tip of the iceberg”. There were
numerous families without financial means to travel for treatment. When Jutta Burghardt, Head of the World Food Programme in Iraq, resigned in protest at sanctions (the day after Count Hans von Sponeck, UN Co-ordinator in Iraq) she said: “The stunted children will never recover.” Neither did most with cancers, linked to the weapons used by the US and UK in 1991. In the vast medical centre, built with oil money by Saddam's regime in the 1970's, a no cost spared and pre-sanctions, state of the art facility, was a remarkable head nurse. She lived for her dying charges, gave them hope, bought them toys, held their hands as they slipped away, so many who could have been saved, were treatment not embargoed.
The wall of her office was plastered with pictures, drawn by her young patients, at her encouragement, of their dreams. Blue skies, birds flying, a bride in a painstakingly drawn dress, laced and layered, parks, animals, sisters, brothers, homes that children worldwide draw, flowers in the garden, the safety of the front door ...of play, of dancing, musical notes. The array of pictures grew and grew and on each visit, she would point out - unnecessarily for this writer - the new ones. Then, as always: “This is ... nine years, he died last week; this is ... four years, she died yesterday; this is little ... he was three and ... here, seven, she wanted to be a dancer ...” Their dreams lived on in her office, these fledgling victims of: “We the people ...”
Yet after a trial condemned by Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, legal luminaries and even the UN as fatally flawed, Saddam is to hang. Whatever his undisputed despotism to those he perceived as enemies or opponents, Iraq's oil money was poured into health, education, “near first world” social structures, all destroyed by the illegal invasion and the, ongoing, ruthless tyranny. What world body will hold Bush, Blair and their governments accountable? Who will be held accountable for the napalm, the white phosphorous, the depleted uranium which has poisoned people and region? For the indescribable acts of barbarism, the ongoing destruction of hospitals, the Palestinisation of another ancient land?
In the night, in the early hours of Christmas Day, in Basra, a thousand “insurgents” in British Army uniforms, raided a police station, apparently holding prisoners about to be executed, shot “seven gun men” and demolished the building in the old quarter of this haunting city. Corruption has taken over sections of the police, infiltration is rife said a British Army spokesman and these people needed to be weeded out and “culled”. he said, chillingly. Goodness, sounds just like the accusations against Saddam, without even the Kangaroo Court. No one has thought to point out that Sir Ronnie Flannagan, former British government advisor and former Chief Constable of Belfast, went to Basra last December, appointed to oversee police recruitment and training. Basra resembles Belfast's thirty plus year bloodletting with every passing day.
Scottish MP George Galloway, tells a tale of his early love of history and of running home, as a very young lad, bursting in and saying: “Dad, Dad, my teacher says the sun will never set on the British Empire!”
“Aye, that's because He'd never trust the British in the dark, son”, was the reply. Indeed.
Saddam will hang, probably on the eve of Eid Al Adha, the three day Feast of the Sacrifice, the most important feast in the Muslim calendar, which begins on December 31st. It commemorates the voice from heaven, which told Abraham, believed father of the Arabs (Ibrahim in Islam) not to sacrifice his son to show his belief, but a ram instead.
Saddam Hussein has two letters on the internet. One urges the Iraqi people to forgive the invaders (that is surely the CIA-written one) the other urges them to heal rifts, stay together and get rid of the invaders, praising forever Iraq and Palestine. That is the Saddam one. He says his life is a “sacrifice” for Iraq. At this time, the meaning will be lost on no Muslim on earth. Bush and Blair will declare a new start for a new Iraq for the New Year. And to use the words of George Galloway again, just prior to the invasion: “The ground will burn under their feet.” Or President Mubarak of Eqypt: “The gates of hell will open.” The violence of the last near four years will pale.
An impeccable army source says the British are so certain of this, that the Queen's finest are to place the entire British army in the south, in the vast fortified base at As Shuaiba, about forty five minutes drive from Basra (ironically, a British built and used base from two previous British invasions of the last century - and defeats.) Festivals, dates and anniversaries are all in the Arab word. January 17th marks the sixteenth
anniversary of the start of the “mother of all battles”, the seven week, day and night carpet bombing of the first Gulf war. January 20th marks the Islamic New Year.
Perhaps Mr Blair should practise the Bee Gees hit: “Staying Alive”. Mr. Maliki and Mr. Bush would do well to pray. The muses of history can only begin to contemplate whether the enormity of the wickednesses already committed and those about to be, in the name of the all time disgraced, shudder inducing words, “freedom and democracy”, can ever be adequately addressed. As for British and American interests anywhere on earth, we can only wait for the Bush and Blair generated bangs. Some “milestone”.
Felicity Arbuthnot
Please also see:
Amnesty International condemns Iraqi Appeal Court verdict against Saddam Hussein and co-accused
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/irq-281206-statement-eng
The Brussels Tribunal: The Execution of the President
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout4.php&id=3005&blz=1
Gulf War Profiteering – Victors and Victims,
by Christiane Martens and Paul V. Rafferty
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout5.php&id=313&blz=1
and
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0208/S00121.htm
President Bush's little helper, fellow crusader, Anthony Blair, Q.C., and his family were on a British Airways flight to Miami, which on landing, reportedly over-ran the runway, skidded, missed a turning and smashed a few landing lights, attracting the response of relevant emergency crews. What a metaphor for Bush and Blair's Iraq disaster: out of time, turnings and all manoeuvring space. And for the man who says “history will judge” him on Iraq and felt “the hand of history on my shoulder”, in Northern Ireland - another suppurating, historic British folly. Perhaps he may have reflected (as a professed, devout Christian) that the hand of a higher Being might have been sending a warning to be heeded.
As he headed off to another allegedly free holiday with another ageing pop star (not this time to the villa of former Italian President Sylvio Berlusconi, whose local difficulties with taxes have drawn a Blair Minister's husband into Court, as a Defendant, in Rome) or a freebie in Sharm El Sheikh. A “war” Prime Minister averse to the risk of bombing, perhaps. Did he reflect the irony? Scuttling off to the “land of the free” (creator of Guantánamo and Abu Ghraibs's horrors, negator of most meaningful national and international laws) and of his equally “devout” Master's Voice, perhaps another Voice was having a crisis of patience with both.
As Blair was perhaps unpacking his guitar, anticipating a jam with former Bee Gee, Robin Gibb (clearly singer Cliff Richard, whose Barbados pile he previously comadeered, is yesterday's man.) Bush's day had included another deluded statement : “Today marks a milestone for Iraq.” From: “Mission accomplished”; “Let freedom reign” after the outcome of bribed and corrupt
elections, to “tipping points”, and “last remnants of the insurgents”, Iraq has, totally predictably, to any observer with a whit of knowledge of the country and the region, gone from disaster to apocalypse, for Iraqis and invaders, as the US-bound body bags mount. Not so much as a “milestone” as a
millstone, till the end of the disgraced duos tenures - and their tombstone
in history. For Iraqis, simply another “milestone” to die for. Oh, by the way, the reference to Blair's guitar: he learned to strum while at Oxford University, where he founded a band called “Ugly Rumours”. Perhaps he was
youthfully clairvoyant, given those he spread regarding Iraq's non-existent WMDs.
Meanwhile, puppet “Prime Minister”, Nuri Al Maliki, greeted the news “with Delight”, according to the Jordan Times, who also reminds that the attempted assassination of Saddam Hussein at Dujail, in 1982, which elicited the predictable response, was planned and attempted by the pro-Iranian Dawa Party (when Iran and Iraq were at war, with the US providing arms to both) which he represents. Dujail had ceded to Iran. Ceding to an enemy country in time of war, would be an act of high treason anywhere on earth. “Iraq's martyrs can now smile again”, Maliki is quoted as saying. Be careful what you wish for: remember the last (British) invasion imposed Prime Minister? His end at the hands of a people who wanted their country back, was bloody in the extreme. His name too, ironically, was Nuri (al Sa'ad.) History, ancient and modern, repeats, uncannily, in Iraq.
It repeated last week: on 12th May 1996, on “60 Minutes”, Madeleine Albright, then US Ambassador to the UN, was asked by Leslie Stahl, if the lives of half a million Iraqi children “were worth it”, in order to rid the world of Saddam Hussein. Albright (blithely ignoring all aspects of legality) in words which will haunt her beyond the grave, replied : “It's a hard choice, but the price, we think the price is worth it”. As the cost in the lives of US soldiers, in this murderous hiding to nowhere, exceeded another “milestone”: the number of those who died on 9/11 (Iraqis, of course have a 9/11 death toll, monthly) US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, said she believed the cost in lives and money was “worth it”. Seven more US soldiers died on runway, Tuesday, but now in US lives too, ten years later: “the price is worth it”.
The (London) Morning Star's succinct header (23rd December 2006) was: “655,000 dead, $350 billion squandered and the cradle of civilisation in ruins ... Iraq war is worth it.” The cost in Iraqi lives, is of course, far higher. The official estimates of “embargo related” deaths are 1.5 million. But the US/UK driven Iraq embargo bit so deep, that many deaths were not reported; countless families simply devoid of money for transport to the nearest relevant government office to record the death. Many also, poignantly, did not because they would lose the food ration of the loved departed - which meant a little more for the rest of the family. Many families ate in rote, to give a larger portion to the others. Children fainted in school, the reply as to why, when they recovered, was often: “It is not my turn to eat today.”
By 1998, one quarter of under-fives suffered severe malnutrition, leading to growth and mental impairment, nutritionist Dr Amal Swidon told this writer,
adding that these figures were just: “the tip of the iceberg”. There were
numerous families without financial means to travel for treatment. When Jutta Burghardt, Head of the World Food Programme in Iraq, resigned in protest at sanctions (the day after Count Hans von Sponeck, UN Co-ordinator in Iraq) she said: “The stunted children will never recover.” Neither did most with cancers, linked to the weapons used by the US and UK in 1991. In the vast medical centre, built with oil money by Saddam's regime in the 1970's, a no cost spared and pre-sanctions, state of the art facility, was a remarkable head nurse. She lived for her dying charges, gave them hope, bought them toys, held their hands as they slipped away, so many who could have been saved, were treatment not embargoed.
The wall of her office was plastered with pictures, drawn by her young patients, at her encouragement, of their dreams. Blue skies, birds flying, a bride in a painstakingly drawn dress, laced and layered, parks, animals, sisters, brothers, homes that children worldwide draw, flowers in the garden, the safety of the front door ...of play, of dancing, musical notes. The array of pictures grew and grew and on each visit, she would point out - unnecessarily for this writer - the new ones. Then, as always: “This is ... nine years, he died last week; this is ... four years, she died yesterday; this is little ... he was three and ... here, seven, she wanted to be a dancer ...” Their dreams lived on in her office, these fledgling victims of: “We the people ...”
Yet after a trial condemned by Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, legal luminaries and even the UN as fatally flawed, Saddam is to hang. Whatever his undisputed despotism to those he perceived as enemies or opponents, Iraq's oil money was poured into health, education, “near first world” social structures, all destroyed by the illegal invasion and the, ongoing, ruthless tyranny. What world body will hold Bush, Blair and their governments accountable? Who will be held accountable for the napalm, the white phosphorous, the depleted uranium which has poisoned people and region? For the indescribable acts of barbarism, the ongoing destruction of hospitals, the Palestinisation of another ancient land?
In the night, in the early hours of Christmas Day, in Basra, a thousand “insurgents” in British Army uniforms, raided a police station, apparently holding prisoners about to be executed, shot “seven gun men” and demolished the building in the old quarter of this haunting city. Corruption has taken over sections of the police, infiltration is rife said a British Army spokesman and these people needed to be weeded out and “culled”. he said, chillingly. Goodness, sounds just like the accusations against Saddam, without even the Kangaroo Court. No one has thought to point out that Sir Ronnie Flannagan, former British government advisor and former Chief Constable of Belfast, went to Basra last December, appointed to oversee police recruitment and training. Basra resembles Belfast's thirty plus year bloodletting with every passing day.
Scottish MP George Galloway, tells a tale of his early love of history and of running home, as a very young lad, bursting in and saying: “Dad, Dad, my teacher says the sun will never set on the British Empire!”
“Aye, that's because He'd never trust the British in the dark, son”, was the reply. Indeed.
Saddam will hang, probably on the eve of Eid Al Adha, the three day Feast of the Sacrifice, the most important feast in the Muslim calendar, which begins on December 31st. It commemorates the voice from heaven, which told Abraham, believed father of the Arabs (Ibrahim in Islam) not to sacrifice his son to show his belief, but a ram instead.
Saddam Hussein has two letters on the internet. One urges the Iraqi people to forgive the invaders (that is surely the CIA-written one) the other urges them to heal rifts, stay together and get rid of the invaders, praising forever Iraq and Palestine. That is the Saddam one. He says his life is a “sacrifice” for Iraq. At this time, the meaning will be lost on no Muslim on earth. Bush and Blair will declare a new start for a new Iraq for the New Year. And to use the words of George Galloway again, just prior to the invasion: “The ground will burn under their feet.” Or President Mubarak of Eqypt: “The gates of hell will open.” The violence of the last near four years will pale.
An impeccable army source says the British are so certain of this, that the Queen's finest are to place the entire British army in the south, in the vast fortified base at As Shuaiba, about forty five minutes drive from Basra (ironically, a British built and used base from two previous British invasions of the last century - and defeats.) Festivals, dates and anniversaries are all in the Arab word. January 17th marks the sixteenth
anniversary of the start of the “mother of all battles”, the seven week, day and night carpet bombing of the first Gulf war. January 20th marks the Islamic New Year.
Perhaps Mr Blair should practise the Bee Gees hit: “Staying Alive”. Mr. Maliki and Mr. Bush would do well to pray. The muses of history can only begin to contemplate whether the enormity of the wickednesses already committed and those about to be, in the name of the all time disgraced, shudder inducing words, “freedom and democracy”, can ever be adequately addressed. As for British and American interests anywhere on earth, we can only wait for the Bush and Blair generated bangs. Some “milestone”.
Felicity Arbuthnot
Please also see:
Amnesty International condemns Iraqi Appeal Court verdict against Saddam Hussein and co-accused
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/irq-281206-statement-eng
The Brussels Tribunal: The Execution of the President
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout4.php&id=3005&blz=1
Gulf War Profiteering – Victors and Victims,
by Christiane Martens and Paul V. Rafferty
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout5.php&id=313&blz=1
and
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0208/S00121.htm