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In 2003 I had the privilege of attending a forum
organized by the Brookings Institution to discuss US relations with
the Islamic World. Leaders from the United States, the Arab and
Muslim world attended—sultans, prime ministers, foreign ministers,
members of parliament, religious leaders and representatives of
various sectors. The topic was the US plan to invade Iraq. The
unanimous recommendation of the Arab world: DON’T!
As feared and hated as Saddam
Hussein was, the Muslim leaders believed that taking him out thru
foreign invasion would make the situation in Iraq even more
dangerous and volatile. This would make the Arab street even more
tension-filled.
Their advice and warning were not
heeded by President Bush. The rest is history.
More unstable
Today, Iraq grapples with even
more instability as compared with the Hussein era. Sectarian
violence has increased. Warlords, previously controlled by Hussein,
have become stronger and threaten rule of law.
According to media, more than
3,000 American troops have been killed in Iraq and nearly 23,000
troops have been wounded. A recent United Nations report said more
than 34,000 Iraqi civilians were “violently killed” across Iraq
last year, with an average of 94 Iraqis killed every day. (CNN)
President Bush has announced a
new Iraq policy: Send over 20,000 more troops to Iraq to secure the
peace while hoping that the Iraqi government can soon take over the
reins. “Our goal is a democratic Iraq that upholds rule of law,
respects the rights of its people, provides them security, and is an
ally in the war on terrorism,” said President Bush.
The deterioration of the
situation in Iraq, coupled with the fear of an invasion of Iran and
the debacle that was the bombing of Lebanon, have increased the
opposition of American political leaders to a stronger US presence
in Iraq. The day after President Bush asked Congress to support his
Iraq strategy, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a
resolution denouncing the White House’s plan to send more troops
to Baghdad.
Sen. Richard Lugar
According to CNN, the Foreign
Relations Committee approved the resolution on a vote of 12-to-9,
with Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, joining 11
Democrats in supporting the measure. It is interesting to note that
Republican leaders who opposed the resolution have expressed
reservations about the wisdom of sending more American troops. Even
Republican Sen. Richard Lugar has suggested it was time for a new
direction.
The invasion of Iraq was tied to
the war on terror. To date, no weapons of mass destruction have been
unearthed in Iraq. However, terror has strengthened its grip.
Is Iran the way out of Iraq?
Given that there are Bush advisors who believe Iran is a threat to
the region, will the US advance into Iran? Is the increased troop
deployment in preparation for such a move? Is the strategy called
“Leap from the frying pan and into the fire”?
Filipino Muslims watch
We Muslims in the Philippines
have been watching, with foreboding, the developments in Iraq, Iran,
Palestine, Afghanistan and in our own region. We need to take stock
of all these developments and ask ourselves how these affect us and
our own complicated issues of self-determination and insurgency, war
on terrorist groups ASG and JI, increasing violence and disrespect
for the rule of law, decreasing effectiveness and reach of
governance.
Since military intervention has
not succeeded to attain peace and order, since democracy clearly
cannot be attained from the barrel of a gun, when will the
Philippine government realize that the military cannot win hearts
and minds? Military action merely hardens our hearts. Or that part
of the scenario? Instability in selected areas to control the whole.
Into the fire we go!
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