Saving Baghdad's revival from blind European pacifism
March 20 marks the first anniversary of the Second Gulf War, the military operation that led to the fall of the Saddam Hussein. When attempting to report the events of the preceding 12 months, we are filled with bundles of images one after another: of night and daytime bombings, the losses of innocent civilians, the lies of the Minster of Information. We recall the Revolutionary Guard's giant castle of cards blown away in a single puff while Hussein's iron and bronze statues resisted being toppled down. Then there was the capture of the dictator himself and him being caught on camera with his gaping mouth pried open for medical inspections. Then there was a long string of terrorist strikes accompanied by attacks on the UN the Red Cross and Italian carabinieri troops in Nassiriya.
In Italy and throughout the world there is still talk about whether the war in Iraq was "just" or not. Italy is still wondering if it is right to finance its troops in Iraq (when other countries are still deciding whether to enter the country or not).
What grieves us missionaries working for the betterment of Asia is to know that what really sparks debate over Iraq comes not from love for the Iraqi people. Rather it simply arises from politicians and lobbyists who use the issue as a means to gain votes against their adversaries.
We find the same thing throughout the rest of the world, where anti-Americanism is employed to belittle all parties and groups supporting what Bush, the United States and its marines are doing in the country.
We weren't in favor of war, but not due to blind pacifism. During the onslaught of peace protests (in reality anti-Bush and anti-Berlusconi demonstrations), we were worried about the Iraqi people.
And yet today, for the very same reason (i.e. for the present and future of the Iraqi populace) we acknowledge that the war and Coalition forces have done good things for the country. According to a BBC survey conducted in Iraq (see article published later today on AsiaNews' web site) at least 70% of Iraqis think that things are improving in their country and 56% of citizens say Iraq is better now than before the war.
In recent months AsiaNews has published several articles concerning Iraq's economic revival, a country suffering after years of bad government and embargo. Throughout many parts of the country there are still problems with running water and electricity. Still, one cannot deny that business is now taking off in the country. If telephones often do not work in Baghdad, there are cell phones found everywhere. Shops are full of never-seen-before goods or items which were banned under Hussein's regime, like satellite dishes. Even salaries are getting better. A schoolteacher now earns 50 dollars a month, instead of 3 dollars prior to the war. Doctors now take home 300 dollars a month, instead of their old 4-dollar salaries.
The Church is also freer to express itself, move about, criticize and demand its rights. The return of private education in both Christian and Muslim schools has signified the end of tight dictatorial rule.
Dozens of local newspapers have come on the scene in Iraq. Their reporters write about everything going on in a country that is now free from censorship. Citizens criticize even Americans, since they are not afraid of being tortured or killed for their beliefs. Even the novelty of organized protests and demonstrations remind us that citizens had been kept silent under Hussein's 20-year tight iron grip.
The country's temporary constitutional draft was just signed into effect. The constitution should integrate democracy with tribal traditions, inspire Islam (the religion of the overwhelming majority of Iraqis) and secularity among citizens as well as lead to both unity and federalism in the country. The fact that women and Christians entered the debate over the constitution to protect their rights and values is already a sign that the rights of both men and women will be respected, in addition to those of religion in a Muslim world.
Certainly terrorism still abounds, as soldiers and especially citizens are often killed in the streets. Yet whoever thinks to label "the resistance" those who command ranks of terrorist militants should tell their opinion to Dr. Raied Jewad, a scholar at the University of Cambridge who had his relatives murdered in a restaurant upon reentering his country after 23 years of exile. "This isn't resistance," he says in a report. "To call it so is an insult to the Iraqi people. How can a populace 'resist' occupational forces by taking the lives of its very own people and exploding bombs in streets near Mosques while killing UN and Red Cross workers? Any true form of Iraqi resistance would never have been conducted in such a pathetic and cowardly manner."
The Coalition is doing good things even for the Middle East. The idea of bringing democracy to the Arab world is becoming attractive in a region of the world which has known only the dictatorships of families and individuals posing behind a mask of Islamic values while carrying out barbarous acts against man and his freedoms.
In Saudi Arabia, for example, there is now huge pressure felt on the government to change its ways. Even middle eastern women are now insisting on the protection and guarantee of their rights. In Iran, despite the victory of conservatives in the last general elections, there has never been such an open challenge to the power of the ayatollahs. Moreover, in the United Arab Emirates, there is talk about a return to the freedom of speech and religion. In Syria as 1000 intellectuals beg for political reforms they are not arrested (a unique event during Assad's totalitarian rule). Even the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has found new champions (e.g. as in former Israeli minister of justice, Yossi Beilin, and Yasser Abed Rabu, a Palestinian politician and author of a peace treaty draft). And they are more listened to and credible than Sharon are Arafat themselves.
Many citizens in the Middle East and Iraq are now asking that a world be created where human rights are respected and that they be honored in relations with other nations. All this is going on while Europe is bidding good riddance to the basis for all its ideals in order to promote or survive on business and short-lived pacifist ideologies.
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