War On Iraq: Focus Shifts To Reconstruction
By Yuba Nath Lamsal
NOW Baghdad has finally fallen, heralding allied victory over Iraq. This is good news for Iraqi people as Saddam is out of power. This is a step towards peace, human rights and democracy in Iraq.
Jubilation
Soon after the fall of Saddam regime and allied control in Baghdad, Iraqi people came out on the streets in jubilation and cheered the American and British troops that defeated Saddam's brutal regime. It is because Iraqi people were fed up with Saddam Hussein's atrocity and wanted to get rid of the reign of terror. During the entire operation, the allied forces encountered little resistance. Even the republican guards, who Saddam often boasted about, could do nothing to prevent the allied forces from entering Basra and Baghdad and taking them under control.
Saddam had to go long ago. Saddam's crimes to humanity are numerous. He killed thousands of Iraqis, suppressed them with military boots at home. At the same time he promoted and exported terrorism in the world.
With Saddam in power, neither Iraqi people nor all Arab states could feel safe and secured. It was Saddam's Iraq that first attacked Iran. The ten years of Iran-Iraq war killed, injured and disabled millions of people and caused enormous damage to both the nations. Lebanon was devastated due to conflicts and civil war-aided and abetted by regional powers like Iraq, Iran and Syria.
Saddam Hussein is one of the obstacles for peace in the Middle East. In fact, Iraq is one of the sources of inspiration and support for Middle East terrorist groups. Palestinian problem has not yet been solved, as some Arab countries including Iraq are obstructing the peace process. Iraq's moral, material and other support to Palestinian terrorist groups like Hammas has fanned terrorism and violence in the entire Arab world and the Middle East. It should be noted here that Saddam Hussein had announced financial reward to the family of those who join the suicide attack against Israelis and also Americans.
Iraq invaded and annexed a small and sovereign Kuwait in 1991. The US-led allied forces ejected Saddam's troops from Kuwait and restored Kuwait's sovereignty. Had the US -led forces not acted in time, Kuwait would have by now disappeared in the map of countries.
As long as Saddam remained in power and Iraq remained militarily strong, Kuwait always felt insecure and unsafe. Similarly, Syria is always susceptible to Iraq's military muscle and Saddam's whimsical and irresponsible behavour. Israel always considers Saddam Hussein and his regime as a serious threat to its peace, security and stability.
The connection and coalition of Iraq with the international terrorist groups like Al Queda and Taleban are now clear and visible. Al Queda has engineered terrorist activities in different parts of the world including the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon of United States of America in September 2001. These terrorist attacks have killed thousands of innocent civilians and caused a great damage to civilization. Thus, Saddam's ouster was a necessity for democracy and human rights in Iraq and also for regional and international peace, security and stability.
Saddam is now gone. It is Saddam's own making. Had he implemented the UN resolutions and disarmed his regime, the US and Britain would not have launched the attack. The Western powers were forced to strike at Iraq and seek Saddam's ouster as he continued to defy UN resolution. In fact, the United Nations itself should have taken initiatives to force Saddam respect international laws and UN resolutions, for which the world body failed in its duty.
The war on Iraq would come to an end in a few days. After the end of war, the onus lies on the United States, Britain and the world community to initiate the immediate process of democratisation and reconstruction of Iraq. Iraqi people have already suffered much from the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein. Their sufferings compounded by more than ten years of United Nations sanctions-Saddam Hussein's own making. United Nations imposed sanctions demanding disarmament of Iraq since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1991.
Some nations who opposed war on Iraq have also started seeking their shares in the affairs of post-war Iraq. During his three decades of rule, Saddam has destroyed every institutions and system. It would, thus, take a lot of energy, time and resources for re-building and democratising Iraq.
The road map of the rule in the post-war Iraq has still not been framed and decided upon, as war has not yet been over. However, the United States, which acted a strong and leading role in building partnership of Iraqi people and liberating Iraq, must play even more active and leading role in the long-term development and reconstruction of Iraq. What can be expected initially is that the US itself needs to oversee the administrative affairs of Iraq until Iraqi opposition groups and other democratic forces are capable enough to handle the situation and run the country. The post-war Iraq will ensure a return of Iraqis' forfeited political rights.
NeedAt the same time, Saddam and his associate should stand before the international court of justice for their crimes to humanity. Saddam's Ba'ath party must be thoroughly purged, as it was done to Nazi party in Germany soon after the second world war. The United States and Britain must continue their partnership with Iraqi people until Iraq is fully democratised. For this, the American presence must be in Iraq for a longer period to guarantee territorial integrity, as the successful reconstruction will depend on the long-term partnership between the allied forces and Iraqi people.
NOW Baghdad has finally fallen, heralding allied victory over Iraq. This is good news for Iraqi people as Saddam is out of power. This is a step towards peace, human rights and democracy in Iraq.
Jubilation
Soon after the fall of Saddam regime and allied control in Baghdad, Iraqi people came out on the streets in jubilation and cheered the American and British troops that defeated Saddam's brutal regime. It is because Iraqi people were fed up with Saddam Hussein's atrocity and wanted to get rid of the reign of terror. During the entire operation, the allied forces encountered little resistance. Even the republican guards, who Saddam often boasted about, could do nothing to prevent the allied forces from entering Basra and Baghdad and taking them under control.
Saddam had to go long ago. Saddam's crimes to humanity are numerous. He killed thousands of Iraqis, suppressed them with military boots at home. At the same time he promoted and exported terrorism in the world.
With Saddam in power, neither Iraqi people nor all Arab states could feel safe and secured. It was Saddam's Iraq that first attacked Iran. The ten years of Iran-Iraq war killed, injured and disabled millions of people and caused enormous damage to both the nations. Lebanon was devastated due to conflicts and civil war-aided and abetted by regional powers like Iraq, Iran and Syria.
Saddam Hussein is one of the obstacles for peace in the Middle East. In fact, Iraq is one of the sources of inspiration and support for Middle East terrorist groups. Palestinian problem has not yet been solved, as some Arab countries including Iraq are obstructing the peace process. Iraq's moral, material and other support to Palestinian terrorist groups like Hammas has fanned terrorism and violence in the entire Arab world and the Middle East. It should be noted here that Saddam Hussein had announced financial reward to the family of those who join the suicide attack against Israelis and also Americans.
Iraq invaded and annexed a small and sovereign Kuwait in 1991. The US-led allied forces ejected Saddam's troops from Kuwait and restored Kuwait's sovereignty. Had the US -led forces not acted in time, Kuwait would have by now disappeared in the map of countries.
As long as Saddam remained in power and Iraq remained militarily strong, Kuwait always felt insecure and unsafe. Similarly, Syria is always susceptible to Iraq's military muscle and Saddam's whimsical and irresponsible behavour. Israel always considers Saddam Hussein and his regime as a serious threat to its peace, security and stability.
The connection and coalition of Iraq with the international terrorist groups like Al Queda and Taleban are now clear and visible. Al Queda has engineered terrorist activities in different parts of the world including the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon of United States of America in September 2001. These terrorist attacks have killed thousands of innocent civilians and caused a great damage to civilization. Thus, Saddam's ouster was a necessity for democracy and human rights in Iraq and also for regional and international peace, security and stability.
Saddam is now gone. It is Saddam's own making. Had he implemented the UN resolutions and disarmed his regime, the US and Britain would not have launched the attack. The Western powers were forced to strike at Iraq and seek Saddam's ouster as he continued to defy UN resolution. In fact, the United Nations itself should have taken initiatives to force Saddam respect international laws and UN resolutions, for which the world body failed in its duty.
The war on Iraq would come to an end in a few days. After the end of war, the onus lies on the United States, Britain and the world community to initiate the immediate process of democratisation and reconstruction of Iraq. Iraqi people have already suffered much from the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein. Their sufferings compounded by more than ten years of United Nations sanctions-Saddam Hussein's own making. United Nations imposed sanctions demanding disarmament of Iraq since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1991.
Some nations who opposed war on Iraq have also started seeking their shares in the affairs of post-war Iraq. During his three decades of rule, Saddam has destroyed every institutions and system. It would, thus, take a lot of energy, time and resources for re-building and democratising Iraq.
The road map of the rule in the post-war Iraq has still not been framed and decided upon, as war has not yet been over. However, the United States, which acted a strong and leading role in building partnership of Iraqi people and liberating Iraq, must play even more active and leading role in the long-term development and reconstruction of Iraq. What can be expected initially is that the US itself needs to oversee the administrative affairs of Iraq until Iraqi opposition groups and other democratic forces are capable enough to handle the situation and run the country. The post-war Iraq will ensure a return of Iraqis' forfeited political rights.
NeedAt the same time, Saddam and his associate should stand before the international court of justice for their crimes to humanity. Saddam's Ba'ath party must be thoroughly purged, as it was done to Nazi party in Germany soon after the second world war. The United States and Britain must continue their partnership with Iraqi people until Iraq is fully democratised. For this, the American presence must be in Iraq for a longer period to guarantee territorial integrity, as the successful reconstruction will depend on the long-term partnership between the allied forces and Iraqi people.
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