The American President Cornered

Prof Dr Colonel (Retired) K Prabhakar Rao

The most important criticism against President George W Bush during his tenure till today is the war in Iraq and failure to unearth Weapons of Mass destruction (WMD) after the victory in the war (1). The cynical critics in USA and third world are at advantage as no such weapons were actually detected or captured after the war in search operations. They have enough material to fill up columns in the newspapers with anti President Writings. The President no doubt faced the Al Qaeda challenge after the 9/11 attack in the most spirited and dignified way. This was comparable to the November 7, 1941 tragedy of Pearl Harbor during World War II. The nation also stood behind him in the hour of crisis when he ordered invasion of Afghanistan by air along with his allies to capture Bin Laden and his colleagues and succeeded in destroying the evil power of Taliban. However AlQaeda leadership escaped Tora Bora bombings and although the President had options for nuclear attack on the caves at Tora Bora, he did not fall a prey to the option which no doubt would have destroyed entire AlQaeda leadership in one go. But the human spirit in him did not permit for such large scale destruction of human life along with terrorists for few handfuls of terrorists. This was definitely something different from the Harry Truman era of 1945 who ordered nuclear attack on Japan in preference to invasion by sea and landing of troops by air. USA by this time established firm bases at Okinawa and Iwo Jima islands close to Japan after the bitterest struggles in human memory. Probably Japan posed greater threat if the war continued further. The President was concerned about the government in Afghanistan that harbored and abetted terrorism. With the establishment of Government by Karzai in Afghanistan the Taliban threat has been much reduced and it is for the Afghan people to manage the country and to come in to main stream of life in international arena. The struggle is not easy but not impossible for a resurgent nation.

On the Iraqi front, the President faces the vehement criticism for continuing Shia and Sunni conflict and innumerable mutual killings abetted by Al Qaeda gangsters and Iranian agents too. Rising American casualties have also caused concern among the American population. Iran too is fishing greatly in troubled waters. The involvement of Iran in creating sectarian conflict in Iraq has been well established and this has resulted in raids on Iranian establishments by American troops (2). These raids are also being seen as a prelude to attack Iran in near future. It is universally known that the relations between Iran and USA are strained and this is nothing new. Fall if Iraq under Saddam Hussein and his execution has resulted in emergence of Iran as an important power in the region and critics of the President blame him for creating such situation due to which Iran has emerged powerful in the region. Earlier Saddam Hussein was it’s staunch and formidable Sunni enemy and waged relentless wars against Iran without much success. But Iran was contained. But these wars also weakened Iran financially and militarily and also in respect of human resources. Saddam was a great obstacle for the spread of Iranian influence and superiority in the region. With elimination of Saddam this obstacle has been removed as per the anti Bush critics. This threat from Saddam Hussein has now been removed. The present regime in Iraq is seen as a puppet regime under the protective wings of USA. In fact, America and Iran are directly facing each other in the region with threatening postures. One of the most important allegations faced by USA is it’s support to Saddam Hussein during its eight year war with Iran. In fact, it is claimed that Saddam Hussein was propped up against General Abdel Karin Kasim who deposed Farukh II in 1958 and was turning pro- Soviet. It was a period of cold war and USSR and America were each trying to increase their areas of influence in the world (3). This is quiet common in world politics. Sentiments and governing of nations do not go together.

As per Slavoz Zizek, The trial of Saddam Hussein was aimed at highlighting his cruelties against the people of Dujail and the Kurds. While Iraqi prosecutors were highlighting his evil deeds, systematically avoided his invasion of Iran that caused maximum human suffering. This is attributed to the American involvement in supporting Saddam Hussein in his war against Iran (4). Although Saddam Hussein has been executed and thus brought to justice, it is opined by the third world that his execution was engineered by the US authorities and is seen as a victory in Iraq.

There have been many demonstrations in India against the American President on the eve of the execution and some political parties in India even organized mock hanging of the effigy of the American President on the streets of Hyderabad. Muslims organized violent demonstrations in Bangalore recently condemning the execution of Saddam Hussein and this has escalated into communal violence on the streets and police even had to initiate strong measures to quell the disturbances. There have been many articles in Indian press condemning the execution. Seema Mustafa wrote in Deccan chronicle that Saddam’s real crime for the US was not the murder of his own people, but his resistance to Washington. President Saddam Hussein despite all the propaganda was not a terrorist and not a leader who supported terrorism (5). S Nihal Singh wrote in Deccan Chronicle, “… .. And if Americans believe that they will benefit from the end of Saddam era by physically eliminating him, they are living in fool’s paradise…. US contribution to making Iraq a failed State is noteworthy. (6).” It is also anticipated that Saddam Hussein’s execution would trigger more terrorist actions probably aimed at a most prominent iconic centers in US as an action of retaliation. Probably these critics are hinting at White House, Capitol House, Washington memorial or Statue of Liberty that represents American pride and national policy and is a highly revered symbol. All these wishful thinking by the critics of President George W Bush may not come true and probably would not deter the President from pursuing his goals and convictions. The third world press projects American actions as neoconservative dream of donning the mantle of Roman emperors to reorder and re arrange the world, starting with West Asia, has unraveled in the sands of Arabia. Thus the third world press glorifies Saddam Hussein as a martyr who has gone down pages of history as a person in the mould of erstwhile legendary Egyptian President Colonel Abdel Gamal Nasser in another age having a wider view of Middle East who supported Palestine cause and was able to resist and stand against American imperialism and in the process laid down his life. In these glorifying efforts and prejudices by some critics, Saddam’s cruelties, evil actions, massacres of innocents of Dujail, summary executions, gassing of Kurds in thousands by chemical weapons and the eight year war with Iran causing great human suffering are given white wash.

Any how, the Regime of Saddam Hussein has gone along with him. The country is caught in the whirl pool of sectarian conflicts of murder and mayhem. The Iraqi government is at the end of its wits in tackling the situation. American troops are very less in the region and are required to be strengthened. At the home front, the proposal of the President to send more troops to a tune of 30,000 to Iraq is meeting stiff opposition. It is learnt that even Republicans are joining the Democrats in raising eyebrows. Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Senate Majority leader Harry Reid opposed the increase of troops in Iraq and in fact requested the President to commence withdrawal of troops in four to six months. As per Republican Senator John McCain, who advocates sending more troops in Iraq, said he would not support sending- in the additional forces unless the number was adequate enough to finally stamp down the violence. It is reported that even US military personnel are less inspired by the war. In an article David Segal Director of the Centre for research on Military Organization at the University of Maryland, said “They are seeing more casualties and fatalities and less progress. The war has been termed an exercise in futility and mind bogging incompetence (7). Thus opposition to war in Iraq continues unabated and plans for withdrawal are nowhere near either.

On the other front, It is also expected that major changes in the military command in Iraq are likely to take place to press- on the battle in greater vigor. The top military commanders in Iraq have expressed unease about the increase of troops in Iraq. The top military post in Iraq, currently held by General George Casey is likely to go to General David Patraeus who is considered as an expert in counter insurgency operations. The Central command is likely to be taken over by Admiral William Fallon noted for tough handling who would likely replace General John Abizaid. It is believed that unceremonial withdrawal from Iraq leaving it in lurch would be like committing Hara-kiri for the Republican Party and this would completely put the party in great disadvantage in the coming Presidential elections and also future of the party (8). Secondly Iraq has to stand on its own feet or else it would go to Al Qaeda leadership. Till today AlQaeda has no national status of its own. If Americans withdraw from Iraq without a military victory, the Iraqi regime would crumble to the sectarian conflict and AlQaeda would rule the land and this would be the gravest danger to the world. However the critics of President Bush and Democrats do not care for the concept of achieving military victory in Iraq and they are more interested in vanishing from Iraq. Overthrow of Saddam Hussein is seen as a victory to USA while exit from Iraq would be surrender. It has to be seen whether the President would leave the office with a weakened image of America or leaves his stamp as a powerful and determined nation in world about which the bad guys have to shake and tremble in fear. He has to also cater for the emergence of China as a very major economic power in the world. Infact China is undergoing great changes internally. The good old blue coat Mao style universal dress has given way to the standard western lounge suit. Use of automobiles has greatly increased and one can see the rapid westernization in Chinese life. People are flocking to the cities in search of jobs. If China has to keep them engaged that is essential to save its government as a Communist nation, it has to provide more and more employment opportunities in cities and this is possible only when it industrializes more and more and this is possible with capture of US market of various goods. Many jobs in industry and academics have been captured by Chinese intellectuals in USA. As it is, Chinese goods have already flooded US market and US manufacturers are facing very stiff and serious competition and for many of them survival has become a challenge. In the words of Irwin Stelzer, George Bush has to prevent theft of US intellectual property by the Chinese which is accounted as equivalent to billions of dollars annually and this is the major problem with US trade. US manufacturers are at disadvantage with the available cheap labor in China which is used to boost production of goods with stolen technology.

If USA has to retain its position in the world, it has to stall emergence of Russia as Super power and it has to help the satellite countries around Russia to get free from Russia by helping in various projects and in particular to dependence on Gas. The President has to also repair the damage done to the relation between USA and Britain as a result of non sanction of construction contracts in Iraq to British companies, inability to share military technology and with respect to tariff against British steel (9). Britain has stood by America in all its international policies and wars waged. The next challenge to the President is Iranian nuclear threat. All European countries come within striking range of Iranian nuclear tipped ballistic missiles and the President of Iran is too eager to use them when he acquires them. How Iran will be prevented from acquiring this potential for which it is feverishly struggling keeping all countries at bay? It is also a fact that no European country would be happy with Iran wielding a nuclear weapon that too in fundamentalist Mullahs hands. As clock is ticking away, the Iranian threat is inching closer and closer. Thus, President George W Bush has difficult times ahead and in the next two years, has to steer the Iraq conflict amicably and look into its position in international affairs described above if he has to leave White House making America as strong as ever before and his position is neither pleasant nor very comfortable and infact is handicapped by the loss of majority in both the houses. The citizens of USA have to decide whether they like to see a very strong America in international arena or a weaker, brow beaten, harassed nation by the fundamentalists, mullahs and arsonists and Tom Dick and Harry.

Bibliography

1.Prof Dr Colonel ( Retired) K Prabhakar Rao, American policy in the Middle East after Republican Party debacle, www.faithCommons.org, November 25, 2006, 07:07

2. Lauren Frayer, Iranians held in Iraq had terror ties: US Military, Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, AP, India, January 15, 2007, PP 13

3. Prof Dr Colonel ( Retired) K Prabhakar Rao Iraq a pain in the neck for USA, www.faithCommons.org, December 03, 2006, 15:53

4. Slavoz Zizek, Ghosts in the US closet, Deccan chronicle, Hyderabad, AP, India, Date January 10, 2007, PP 7

5. Seema Mustafa, Murder most foul, Deccan chronicle, Hyderabad, AP, India, Dated January 6, 2007, PP 6

6 S Nihal Singh, Message from the Gallows, Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, AP, India, Date January 4, 2007, PP 7

7. Bob Hertbert, End the feast of death in Iraq, By arrangement with New York Times, Deccan chronicle, Hyderabad, AP, India, Dated January 5, 2007, PP 6

8. From Washington, Bush plan for Iraq faces opposition in Congress; Republicans join Democrats against President’s move (Guardian Newspapers Limited 2007), The Hindu, Hyderabad, AP, India, Date January 7, 2007, PP 14

9. Irwin Stelzer, Bush, the next two years, Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad. AP, India, Date January 5, 2007, PP 7

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