Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(Mid-April 2003)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
A contender for the position of the future President
of Iraq?
 The
American Administration apparently believe that the liberated
Iraqis would welcome the liberators with open arms - unfortunately
that did not happen. Many exiled dissidents are trying
to get on the bandwagon and take up government positions.
Apparently an exiled spiritual leader who has spent the
last twenty five years or so in Iran has suddenly appeared
upon the scene and states that he is ready and willing
to return to help his people, a factor which certainly
could affect the United States plan for a post war democratic
Iraq.
Ayatollah al-Hakim, spiritual leader of Iraq’s
Shiite Muslims, who make up over 60% of the population
of Iraq, apparently has 15,000 Iraqi troops, armed by
Iran’s Islamic government and trained by Iran’s
Revolutionary Guard, apparently has been warned by the
United States not to enter Iraq.
While the Ayatollah professes his desire for democracy
it must be remembered that his religious movement is named
"The Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution".
 The
Shiites are very wary of United States promises because
of the bloodbath they suffered at the end of Gulf War
One. At that time, President Bush Senior urged the Shiite
population, located in southern Iraq, to revolt against
Saddam Hussein, which the Shiites did until Saddam Hussein
sent in helicopter gunships to suppress them and the United
States refused to come to their aid.
A leader of the Iraqi Shiite Opposition living in London,
Dr. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, was reported to have said that
the American attempts to democratise Iraq will be considered
by the Iraqi people to be an occupation by foreign forces.
So, where does American policy go from here - we’re
damned if we do and damned if we don’t.
Work that one out Mr. Bush. No one in his right mind would
say that this war was going to be easy, even if there
were some in the Pentagon, and the American Administration,
who apparently believed that it would be a walk over.
Once the fighting war is over - the political war will
begin and this could be bloodier than ever.
Muslim hatred of America.
 The
longer the war with Iraq continues, with the killing of
so many Iraqi civilians, and no substantial weapons of
mass destruction found, the more anger will be aimed at
the people of America.
President Mubarak of Egypt said in a recent statement,
"Instead of one Bin Laden, America has created a
potential of one thousand Bin Ladens". Americans
in their comfortable affluent homes driving their gas
guzzling SUVs, under the constant twenty four hour bombardment
of war news broadcasts, whilst understanding and regretting
the price being paid in American lives, are avoiding acknowledging
the cost to the Iraqi people, and the cost to American
and World economies.
Americans cannot understand, and keep asking, why are
we hated so much, when all we are doing is freeing the
people of this world from aggression and despotism. May
I remind them one more time, that one man’s freedom
fighter is another man’s aggressor. Civil unrest
continues throughout the world and much opposition still
remains to the American invasion of Iraq.
Perhaps now is the time to remember Rudyard Kippling’s
famous poem, “East is East and West is West, and
nair the twain shall meet”.
The cost of rebuilding Iraq when the war is over.
The cost of rebuilding the Iraq infrastructure
is being assessed as a minimum of $20B annually and apparently
the majority of the contracts will go to American companies.
Why not, America after all won the war! Can we envisage
that the rebuilding will be in the American image with
a fast food joint and gas station on every corner surrounded
by the ubiquitous malls?
We welcome feedback about any of the contents
of these newsletters. Please send all correspondence to
bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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