A pattern of madness
When President George W Bush falsely accused Saddam Hussain of pursuing a nuclear weapons programme, the purpose was to have an excuse to attack Iraq and effect the regime change as Saddam refused toe the US line. Tony Blair followed suit by telling the British Parliament that intelligence showed Iraq’s nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programme was “active”, “growing” and “up and running”. By the time the war came to an end the claims were found to have been outright bullshit meant to justify the devastation of a stable country. Tens of thousands of Iraqis lost their lives in the war, the country was laid waste and has not had peace ever since. On Thursday, President Obama made a similar claim. He accused Syrian government of using chemical weapons against rebels. He then announced that as President Assad had crossed the “red line”, Washington would supply arms to the rebels. The anti-regime groups include elements associated with Al-Qaeda and the extremist Salafis who are waging a worldwide jihad against the Shiites. It is a motley army like the one collected in the 1980s by the CIA and let loose in Afghanistan to avenge the US defeat in Vietnam. The world continues to reap the bitter harvest sown by the CIA in Afghanistan. Arming the extremists in Syria is going to be no less a disaster for the Middle East.
While US forces were ravaging Afghanistan, Bush launched US military in Iraq. Later Libya was attacked under Obama and the country was similarly consigned to lawlessness. Now it is the turn of Syria. Many think the American Crusade will not end in Damascus. Iran is going to be the next target because it challenges the US-Israel hegemony on the Middle East. Obama’s announcement is in fact the outcome of concerns over Syrian army’s recent successes against the rebels. If the regime retakes Aleppo, it would be seen as a huge Iranian victory right at the time when the US is dealing with Tehran’s nuclear programme. 300 US Marines have already been sent to northern Jordan in a move that paves the way to arming rebel groups. A Patriot anti-aircraft missile system has also, according to The Times, been deployed to the area.
The US move which has been supported by Britain and France has scuttled the UN plans for ending the war through talks between the government and the rebels. Obama would not have a peaceful solution to the conflict. Assad must face the fate of Saddam and Qaddafi. Never mind if Russia has dismissed US claims regarding the use of sarin gas as unconvincing. Or Sweden has warned that the US military aid for the rebels risked prolonging bloodshed. Or Ban Ki-moon has called the US claim doubtful. The superpower must have its way whatever the price in human lives. After all those who are dying in Syria are not Americans.
