Mideast News Digest
Straussians Implement 'End of History' in Iraq, With Destruction of 5,000 Years of Civilization
"In a sense, it is a total war against the past," said Prof. John Russell of the Massachusetts College of Art. Because Mesopotamia, the region between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers south of the mountains of Asia Minor, gave rise to the world's first cities, its first written language, and some of its earliest art and architecture, there are tens of thousands of artifacts and archeological sites, now threatened, or already destroyed. Babylon, located about two hours south of today's Baghdad, gave the world the first examples of writing, the first wheel, the first boats, according to Moyad Said, director of Baghdad's Iraqi Museum, now in ruins. "What seems to be happening in Iraq, is unprecedented in any Middle Eastern country in modern times," Russell said. "Namely, there is the wholesale looting of famous and undiscovered archeological sites."
As the Washington Post reported April 14, U.S. scholars repeatedly urged the Defense Department to protect Iraq's priceless archaeological heritage, and warned specifically that the National Museum of Antiquities was the single most important such site in Iraq. On April 13, UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, urged the U.S. and U.K. to take immediate steps to protect what remains of Iraq's antiquities (see article in INDEPTH). Nonetheless, the looterswithin plain sight of U.S. troops"looted or destroyed 170,000 items of antiquity ... worth billions of dollars," said Nabhal Amin, deputy director of the National Museum of Antiquities in Baghdad.
After 12 years of sanctions, which left national treasures unguarded, unprotected, and unmaintained, due to lack of funds and personnel; and porous borders, through which organized looting operations succeeded in denuding Iraq of uncounted numbers of precious national artifacts; and now, the unleashing of Jacobin hordes to finish the job, there is a veritable cultural holocaust. While in part the looting was made possible by the inadequate troop deployment into the country, the deeper cause is that the Straussian Chickenhawks running the war are determined to obliterate the history and culture of the Arab world.
"Our heritage is finished," said Amin, an Iraqi civilian. "Why did they do this? Why? Why?" she demanded to know. "If there were five American soldiers at the door, everything would have been fine. They're supposed to be here to protect us." In fact, it has been widely reported that a whole company of U.S. Marines, along with at least a half-dozen amphibious assault vehicles, had been assigned to guard the Oil Ministry, while many others, including Trade, Information, Planning, Health, and Education remained unprotectedalong with museums and other culturally significant sites.
Mass Demonstrations Against Occupation in Baghdad on Friday, and a LaRouche Factor
On April 18, in Baghdad, following Friday prayers, hundreds of thousands of observant Muslims, from Shi'ites and Sunnis, united in street demonstrations against the occupation of their nation by the U.S. and Britain.
The major event in Baghdad on April 18 was the Friday Prayer sermon given by Sheikh Ahmed Al-Kubaisi in Imam Abu Hanifa Mosque, which witnessed one of the last battles in Baghdad. The whole prayer and demonstration were broadcast live on Al-Arabiya satellite TV. International English-language media misinterpreted and misquoted him.
Contrary to the English-language reports, Al-Kubaisi did not call for an Islamic state. He called for establishing some sort of "a Committee of Wise Men," headed by representatives of the different Muslim sects in the country. This committee would monitor the activities of whichever civil administration were established in the country, to make sure that all decisions are being made in the interest of the nation and the people of Iraq. If they find any irregularities or mischief, they would declare publicly to the population that this administration is not legitimate. He called for civilian disobedience, on the model of Mahatma Gandhi.
The demonstrations after the prayer were organized the day before. There were probably hundreds of thousands of Iraqis on the streets. Al-Kubaisi was addressing Sunni Muslims in Al-Adhamiya. On the other side of the river, Shi'ites were attending another Friday Prayer in Al-Kadhimiya, at the Shrine of Imam Jaafar Assadiq. They, too, went out to demonstrate against the occupation. They crossed the bridge and joined their Sunni compatriots in a display of national, non-sectarian unity.
Al-Kubaisi went extensively into what he meant by the "America we know." He stressed that the America he knew was "the America of freedom and scientific progress, not the one we see today." He also described in fascinating detail how President Eisenhower put an end to the British-Israeli-French attack on Egypt in the Suez War in 1956. [As reported below, Al-Kubaisi's knowledge of the U.S.A. also includes the fact that he appears to be well aware of Lyndon LaRouche's activity in the United States.]
The Iraqis are displaying an incredible degree of political consciousness, organizing themselves outside the framework of the quislings, the U.S.-U.K.-imposed Iraqi National Congress (INC) of bank embezzler Ahmed Al-Chalabi. Al-Chalabi, whom Iraqis are regarding with disgust, is organizing his own private army and is illegally occupying governmental and semi-governmental buildings in Baghdad as headquarters for his mafia group. This might backfire in his face, as it is becoming obvious that the population in Baghdad may easily organize mass protests to force him out.
Next week, by Tuesday or Wednesday, millions of Iraqi Shi'ites are expected to march on Karbala for the religious ceremony of the Fortieth Day after the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed. This celebration was prohibited for 25 years under Saddam's regime. This event is being organized completely independently of the U.S. forces or the INC. It will be dominated by the Iran-backed Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) and the Islamic Scientific Seminary in Najaf, which have openly expressed their unwillingness to accept a puppet regime and a U.S. military presence in Iraq. This brings the situation further out of the "the-day-after" plans prepared by the Chickenhawks and their Iraqi quislings.
It should be noted that on April 17, the London Guardian reported that the two brothers of Ahmed Chalabi are also convicted crooks. Jawad and Hazem Chalabi were both convicted in 2000 in a Swiss court for fraud related to the Swiss side of the Petra Banking scandal, for which Ahmed himself was convicted for fraud by a Jordanian court. The Swiss court sentenced the two brothers to six-month suspended sentences for fraud related to several Swiss companies they controlled, including Mebco Bank, Associated Software, Middle East and Trading Investment Co., and Socofi.
LaRouche Cited by Baghdad Imam Al-Kubaisi
In a speech he delivered in November 2002 at the Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, renowned Iraqi Islamic scholar Ahmed Al-Kubaisi (here spelled Al-Qubaisi), referred to writings by Lyndon LaRouche in the context of his review of the U.S. plans for war against Iraq and the region. dating back to 1991. Although Al-Kubaisi's remarks, as quoted, clearly involve a misrepresentation of LaRouche's views regarding "the Jews" (perhaps due to secondary sources employed), Al-Kubaisi's intervention on behalf of LaRouche is of extreme importance, as Al-Kubaisi is emerging as a national leader.
The quotes from Al-Kubaisi's speech as reported in Gulf News, are as follows (the full text is not yet available):
Gulf News put the quotes in the following context: "Al Qubaisi emphasized that the planned attack on Iraq is part of an elaborate strategy which surfaced long before the 'war on terrorism.' "
Gulf News continues: "The 1980s U.S. Presidential candidate, Lyndon H. LaRouche, who was framed and jailed, wrote a book which puts these events into context. LaRouche said that Jews pulled the strings and brought about the Soviet Union, and they plotted its demise in 1991.
"Following that, LaRouche went on, America would become the world's superpower. To continue being the world's superpower, America needs to control the Middle East, especially Iraq. All this came in the book by LaRouche," said Al Qubaisi.
The report of Gulf News is available at the link: (http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=69449)
Syria Introduces UNSC Resolution for WMD-Free Zone in Mideast
Against a backdrop of a concerted campaign by the Bush warhawks, of threats and unsubstantiated allegations that Syria is hiding WMD and people for Iraq, Syria presented a resolution on April 16, to the UN Security Council for turning the Middle East into a Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone. Speaking to reporters, on April 15, Syria's Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Fayssal Mekdad, said, "These ideas which we shall present to the Council tomorrow will show that we are sincere in our expressions of rejecting weapons of mass destruction and that the only party that has them is Israel." Asked whether Syria will become a party to the conventions of biological and chemical weapons, he said, "Absolutely, provided that Israel takes them as well."
The resolution had the support of the 22-member Group of Arab nations at the UN, many of which also told the U.S. to cease its attacks on Syria.
In Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher expressed support for the resolution, saying, "Egypt supports this position because it matches its long-held stand and President Hosni Mubarak's initiative to make the region free of weapons of mass destruction."
Middle East leaders from the just-concluded emergency meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) called on the U.S. to stop its threats against Syria. Qatar Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jasim Thani said, "We think the threat to Syria should stop. We don't think Syria wants a war or to escalate any situation.... We reject any infringement of Syria's security."
Also addressing Washington's anti-Syria posture, Arab League spokesman Hisham Youssef said, "I believe this is like throwing oil on a fire or salt in a wound ... and it makes the situation even more tense and precarious. Israel being involved is going to inflame the whole region. We have suffered enough."
Israeli Peace Activist Uri Avnery Slams Imperial Plans of 'Jewish Neo-Conservatives'
Uri Avnery, the visionary Israeli peace activist, penned a devastating attack on the neo-conservatives' open conspiracy that is behind the Iraq war and the policy of perpetual war. He calls his article, "The Night After."
It begins: "After the end of hostilities in Iraq, the world will be faced with two decisive facts: First the immense superiority of American arms.... Second, the small group that initiated this war, an alliance of Christian fundamentalists and Jewish neo-conservatives, has won big, and from now on will control Washington almost without limits.
"The combination of these two facts constitute a danger to the world, and especially to the Middle East, the Arab peoples and the future of Israel. Because this alliance is the enemy of peaceful solutions, the enemy of the Arab governments, the enemy of the Palestinian people and especially the enemy of the Israeli peace camp.
"It does not dream only about an American empire, in the style of the Roman one, but also an Israeli mini-empire, under the control of the extreme right and the settlers. It wants to change the regimes of all Arab countries. It will cause permanent chaos in the region, the consequences of which it is impossible to foresee."
He traces their conspiracy from the attacks on Sept. 11, when William Kristol published his infamous Open Letter to President Bush calling for a crusade not just against Osama bin Laden but against Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, which Avnery describes as "the beginning of the Iraq war."
UNHRC Affirms Palestinian Right To Resist; Tells Israelis To Cease Repression
In a resolution passed with only one opposition votefrom the United Stateswithin the UN Commission on Human Rights, the Commission ordered Israel "to cease repressive measures," and reaffirmed the right of Palestinians to resist the occupation of their lands. On April 15, a resolution on human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, was adopted by the UNHC in a roll call vote of 31-1, with 21 abstentions. The U.S. was the sole opposing vote. The resolution called for Israel "to cease repressive measures in the occupied Syrian Golan ... and withdraw from Palestinian territories occupied since 1967." It also called on Israel to allow displaced persons to "return to their homes and recover their properties...." These were all issues being discussed by Israelis and Palestinians during the negotiations for the "peace of the brave," before the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a rightwing Jewish extremist in 1995.
Another resolution on the occupied Palestinian lands, was adopted by a roll call vote of 33-5, with 15 abstentions. This reaffirmed the right of the Palestinian people to resist the Israeli occupation, and condemned the violations by the Israeli occupation authorities of human rights in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, and also condemned the practice of "liquidation" or "extrajudicial executions" carried out by the Israeli Army.
Iraq's Neighbors Tell U.S./British To End Occupation
A meeting of all the countries neighboring Iraq, held in Saudi Arabia, demanded that the U.S./British occupation be ended. They also called for the establishment of an Iraqi government before United Nations sanctions are lifted, which is counter to U.S. wishes, but in line with statements by Russia and other United Nations Security Council members.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said, "Now Iraq is under an occupying power, and any request for lifting sanctions must come when there is a legitimate government which represents the people ... and which can comply with its duties towards lifting sanctions." He went on to say, "The ministers affirmed that the Iraqi people should administer and govern their own country by themselves, and any exploitation of their natural resources should be in conformity with the will of the legitimate Iraqi government and its people."
Among those in attendance where Foreign Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Jordan, and Bahrain. They came out in full support of Syria as well, stating: "We absolutely refuse the recent threat against Syria which can only increase the likelihood of a new circle of war and hatred, especially in light of the continuing deterioration of the Palestinian situation. We call on the United States to use dialogue with Syria and to activate the Middle East peace."
The joint statement also called for the UN to play the central role. "The UN should have a central role not only in humanitarian and economic issues but also in building postwar Iraq. In order for U.S. forces to withdraw as soon as possible, we call on the occupying authority to set up a transitional government quickly and make all efforts to set up a broad-based constitutional Iraqi government."
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