Saddam’s Execution and the coming Campaign in Baghdad

Tweet "Keeping the accomplices hidden
"The problem with trying Saddam Hussein for really big atrocities, such as use of Chemical weapons on civilians was that many enablers of Saddam’s regime including Western companies and both Western and Middle Eastern governments would have been implicated. During 1980s, 29 countries supplied him with weapons while nine others fronted for him whenever a cover was needed. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, China and Russia (just to name a few) had to be named and their complicity explained.

"For example it is a well known fact that it was Saudi Arabian money that helped underwrite Iraq’s eight year war with Iran. It was Saudi Arabia’s encouragement and guarantees of financial support that finally persuaded Saddam Hussein to attack Iran. By the end of 1981 Saudi Arabia had “officially” loaned over $10 billion to Iraq [ ]. This financial help was in addition to producing and selling 1 million barrel of oil per day on behalf of Iraq. But Saudi Arabia, although the chief financier, was not the only Arab country that wholeheartedly assisted Saddam Hussein. The so called moderate Arab countries such as Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait were also heavily involved in assisting Saddam.

"But while Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were providing the money, it was the West that was supplying the weaponry and the technical assistance that enabled Saddam Hussein to carry-out some of his most horrific crimes against humanity. “The Blue prints for the construction of the first chemical warfare plant were provided by Pfaulder Corporation of Rochester, New York.” [ ] The German, French, Italian and British companies were all heavily involved in arming Saddam Hussein. Even after Saddam’s heavy use of chemical weapons against Iranian targets and his own people, the relationship continued unabated. By 1989 the whole world knew about the use of chemical weapons by Saddam Hussein. After all, it was on 16 March 1988 that Iraqi forces gassed the town of Halabja killing 5000 and injuring 7000 Kurds. Yet even this atrocity did not affect the US or British relationship with Saddam’s regime.
“In 1989 the United States supplied Iraq with helicopter engines, vacuum pumps for a nuclear plant, sophisticated communications equipment, computers, bacteria strains and hundreds of tons of unrefined Sarin.

"Furthermore, the pro-Iraq activities of the US-Iraq business Forum, led as it was by former diplomats with solid connections with the State Department, were augmented by the work of Kissinger Associates, the consulting firm headed by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Representing companies such as Volvo, Fiat and Hunt Oil, this firm was staffed by other insiders who took their signal from the government. Two of the insiders, Brent Scowcroft and Lawrence Eagleburger, were to join the Bush administration in the spring of 1989, the former as National Security Adviser.” [ ]

But why was the execution video released?

"Some may think that by executing him the Sunni insurgents will be disheartened and become more amiable in dealing with the US. This is of course an illusion. The existing Iraqi Baath party has already appointed Saddam’s (ex )general and number two party member Ezat Irahim Al dowri as the new leader and the “president of Iraq”. Al Dawri has been in hiding since 2003 and is believed to be directing some attacks against the occupation forces. However, it is just possible that given enough power in the Al-Maliki’s government, some Sunni elements may join the governing group. But this can only be achieved if Muqtada Al-Sadr is neutralised.

"This is the most likely reason behind the release of the second film. If US attacks Al-Sadr, it is hoped, it will show Sunnis that US is attacking a hated Shi’ia that was taunting Saddam at the gallows. So far US has had an uneasy truce with Al-sadr, something that US is no longer interested in. It is evident that United States will in the near future attack Al-Sadr forces in Baghdad and will try to crush and disband his militia the Mahdi Army. This attack will result in resignation of Al-Sadr’s supporters in the parliament, creating a vacuum which can then be filled with the Sunnis. In this way a new Shi’ia government can be constructed with enhanced Sunni representation which can then embark on a new pacification campaign of the Sunni Triangle.

"All this of course is based on the assumption that Mahdi army of the Muqtada al-Sadr is swiftly defeated and that it does not spread to other parts of Southern Iraq. Considering the popularity and strength of Al-Sadr, it is highly unlikely that this can be accomplished easily or swiftly. Most likely the situation will deteriorate fast and southern Iraq will turn into another hot-bed of anti-American insurgents.In its campaign in Iraq United States have made many mistakes, but attacking Al-Sadr will be one move that will either make or break the US in Iraq.

From Information Clearinghouse