American administration must not be dissuaded from its plans for regime change in Iraq

by: Dr.Nazad Hawramany 

Sep 1, 2002

The vast majority of people of Iraq, regardless of their ethnic origins, religious confession, or political ideology are cautiously apprehensive nowadays since the American administration began to be more assertive of their intentions about iraqi regime change with all means including military means, because at last they feel amidst their desperate resignation, that a real chance of freedom looms at horizon. They are thinking that at last the world begins to realize the true monstrous nature of the ruling thugs in Baghdad and is ready to allow the people of Iraq a real chance to build a democratic pluralistic and federal Iraq. 

There is a Kurdish saying which says those whose hands are in water are not like those whose hands are in fire, and this is astonishingly true when we hear some of the positions and reactions of some countries or politicians which denounce these American plans to oust Saddam Hussein, These contra forces includes many Arabic countries which fear a regime change in Iraq will unleash a chain reaction which will lead to fall of many authoritarian regimes like Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia or fear the loss of economic handouts from Saddam like Jordan, and regional countries like Turkey which antagonizes action against Iraq for fear that Iraqi Kurds will gain more rights and succeed in establishing a federated state with the rest of Iraq , Iran on the other side fears influence of America at its doorsteps which would be a thorn in the body of the fundamentalist Islamic regime of Iran, many opportunistic European political forces and mainly to the left of the political spectrum just antagonize these plans despite the misery of the Iraqi people because they see the tyrant Saddam Hussein as a fighter against American (imperialism). Or some retired American politicians like Scowcroft or Baker or the success less General Zinni with their analogical and out of date calculations trying to dissuade the American administration from their plans to free the Iraqi people from such a nightmare. 

I wonder if any of these politicians or leaders are ready to live or let their people live under such a regime which has no respect for human life let apart human dignity for any period of time and when they think that Saddam such a person is to admire then they should say that frankly and stop their disgraceful hypocritical misuse of the Iraqi people as argument against such an attack. for many European countries, it seems that promised economic benefits from Saddam regime , more important than Iraqi human rights. I think there is a moral justification to get rid of Saddam Hussein , just to help the iraqi people out of their nightmare under the rule of 30 years of terror and murder under Saddam Hussein and his Baath party. 

The american administration must be committed not only to regime change but to establish a post-Saddam democratic pluralistic government including a federal solution for the chronic Kurdish problem in Iraq. The Americans must start addressing the Iraqi people and assuring them of its determination and seriousness this time, the bitterness of betrayal of their uprising in spring of 1991 after the first gulf war is still vivid. The Americans however must pay attention to certain details which are vital to prove its credibility to the Iraqi people: 

1. the Americans must declare the southern no- fly- zone a no- drive- zone to prove to the Shiite opposition its commitment to their demands and the historic injustice to the Shiite population since the establishment of the Iraqi state. 

2.they must declare their commitment to the Kurdish population in Iraqi Kurdistan and their support for their choice of federated union with the rest of Iraq and to guarantee their role in central government. 

3.Put international pressure on the Iraqi regime to implement security council resolution 688 which calls for protection of Iraqi people from the Iraqi regime and to allow human rights observers unfettered access to investigate the atrocities of Iraqi regime against Iraqi people including Kurds and Shiites 4.The Americans must put pressure on their ally Turkey to stop provocations against Kurdish administration in the safe heaven of Iraqi Kurdistan and guarantee that Turkey will not invade and occupy parts of iraqi Kurdistan under any excuses. Turkey is not accepted or tolerated by Kurdish or Arabic opposition in Iraq. 

5.The Americans must encourage the efforts to bring Saddam and his associates before an international tribunal and try them for crimes against humanity and war crimes, it will be very difficult for allies of Saddam to defend him when the details of his crimes become known to the international community. 

6. The Americans must try to be more decisive in their commitment for regime change and declare their determination to oust Saddam with force. 

7. the Americans must adopt an Iraq first policy with regard to Middle East conflict because Saddam is encouraging and supporting the radical Islamic elements among Palestinians and try to play the Palestinian card to win sympathy and support from Arab countries. A middle East without Saddam will certainly bring better chances of peace in the Palestinian Israeli conflict. No body is really looking forward to a war especially the Iraqis after the two devastating wars brought upon them by the ruthless Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, but with the insistence of Saddam on his course of suppression of Iraqi people, and his ever growing danger to his people, his neighbors and the international community, and his relentless pursue of weapons of mass destruction including nuclear weapons, the international community cannot afford inaction. to listen to the hypocritical voices in Arab courtiers, some European politician and leaders as well as some misinformed American politicians is certainly a recipe for catastrophe.