Current Affiars
Defeat Iraq's Saddam Hussein now
By John R. Thomson, Special to UPI
Memo to: President George W. Bush
Subject: The time to clean up Iraq is now.
Mr. President, the time to act against Iraqi President Saddam
Hussein is now.
Your advisers and countless commentators have made powerful arguments for taking action. There is no justifiable political, social or cultural reason to delay further.
Even if the United Nations should demand and Iraq accept the most draconian arms inspection procedures, that process would take at least a year to fulfill. Who can seriously doubt Saddam would do everything to obfuscate, delay and in the end prevent the inspectors doing their work, as he has since 1991? As you have repeatedly pointed out, we cannot afford the luxury of time: Any further delay puts millions of Arab, Israeli, American -- indeed, the entire world's -- lives at risk.
The time to act is therefore now.
Amidst all the noise and confusion, advocates of action have covered most of the reasons, save one: the positive impact on our relations with the Arab and Muslim communities, in the Middle East and worldwide. By moving fast, effectively and with as little peripheral damage as possible we can begin rebuilding our long-declining relationships with Arabs and other Muslims.
Arabs and Muslims respect and are accustomed to force. The cultural norm is one of authoritarian control: Might makes right. He who wields power receives allegiance so long as some degree of accountability is shown. Unlike the United States or Britain, there is virtually no underdog tradition in these thoroughly hierarchical societies. Quite the contrary: Regimes in Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt, have remained in corrupted power for decades, by trickling down just enough to keep the natives from getting uncontrollably restless. Put simply, ending Saddam's reign of terror will demonstrate that terrorism is not a winning way, to a society that sides with those perceive as powerful and winners.
Force used to remove the terrorist Iraqi regime will also weaken terrorism throughout the region, and worldwide. You have said from the outset that we are in a war against terrorism, not just Osama bin Laden and al Qaida. The issue is not solely to focus on the perpetrators of the tragic Sept. 11 events or the most recent terrorist attacks in Bali and elsewhere. Although they have differing agendas, Saddam and Osama are united in detesting the United States and virtually all Arab regimes, and are supporting each other in countless ways.
Whichever falls first, the other will be significantly weakened. Those who would destroy our civilization would think us stupid were we to insist on first eliminating the elusive bin Laden before turning to Saddam.
Many Muslims see the West, especially America, as weak, morally corrupt infidel societies. Beginning with the terrorist attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut almost 20 years ago, there has been no sustained, decisive American response. Our characteristically inconclusive reaction to murderous provocation has convinced millions that we lack the will or the energy to defend our own. Regimes and citizens alike view the United States as hopelessly adrift and indecisive. Imagine the reaction, if we stood by and permitted any prolonged U.N. charade about further weapons inspections in Iraq.
There is little we can do about what the devout consider our sinful social activities. Indeed, much of our residual appeal to many conflicted Muslims is the social, political and economic freedom their rulers and mullahs decry. Putting down the foul gang running Iraq demonstrates we are neither fools nor to be fooled with, thereby regaining some degree of respect if not affection.
Every Arab regime is deeply disgusted by, indeed fearful of, Saddam's Iraq. The reticence of several to go public in support of regime change in Iraq is based, first, on their fear of setting a precedent that their own citizens might pursue at home, and secondly, an accurate sense that "the Arab street", true to the tradition of backing the (evident) winner, supports Saddam.
But all that will change, in the halls of power and on the street, when we act. Foot-dragging leaders will join Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman and support decisive military action, breathing sighs of relief that the Butcher of Baghdad no longer has his hand on the cleavers of power.
Benign peace keeping and nation building by respected national forces will decimate popular suspicion of our motives. Americans and the West are viewed as exemplars of the "here today, gone tomorrow" way of life. The fellah in the street is convinced: once Saddam is gone and Iraqi oil reserves secured, the conquering powers will leave Iraq and its fractious citizenry to fend for themselves. Staying the course while Iraqis find their way and assist in the reconstruction of their beleaguered institutions, will go far to prove we are interested in more than the usually short-lived goals of U.S. geopolitics.
Subsequent changes in the most despotic regional regimes will solidify respect for the United States, from leaders and citizens alike. Once Saddam is gone, self-anointed dictators in Iran, Syria and Palestine will have a geometrically more difficult time clinging to power.
Several times in the past year, more than a million Iranians have demonstrated their disdain for their government and their affection for the United States.
In Syria, the ineffectual President Bashir Assad has no substantial support from any sector of society, save the minuscule Alawite religious sect of his long-reigning father.
Palestinians universally despair of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat's feckless leadership.
Our openly admitted task must be to aid and abet the teeming, restless popular forces in these nations. Properly executed, they will remove thoroughly discredited regimes with minimal outside manpower in support. Moreover, friendly despots in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco will at last be moved to make substantive changes in their economies and cultures.
Improved governance at home and greater respect for the United States will sharply curtail support for Muslim fundamentalism. From Kuwait to Cairo, this highly radicalized, isolationist corner of the faith has been winning converts who see no other way to change their life condition.
Fundamentalist mosques, whose members are by definition deeply disaffected from society, are the best recruiting centers for al Qaeda and other terrorist movements. As they weaken, so will popular support for bin Laden and their terrorist allies.
The waning terrorist grip on the popular imagination will be welcomed by most Arab regimes because, after all, Saddam, bin Laden and the rest are an even greater threat to their peace and longevity than to ours.
By ending Saddam's reign of terror, Mr. President, you will markedly improve America's respect and influence throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds. Our image and impact in the region, steadily deteriorating for two decades, will reverse direction, and continue to improve as we facilitate the passing of other despots from the scene. Far from having a negative effect on our relations, every level of Middle Eastern society will view the United States with increasing, albeit grudging, approval.
The terrorist enemy remains the enemy and assuredly will strike, again and again. Like a cancer, the committed terrorist fights indefatigably until he kills or is killed. Terrorism will become stronger and stronger day by day, increasingly difficult to eradicate unless totally eliminated, just like the dread disease. Much of the rest of the world may be in denial, but that cannot diminish the need to take early, radical action.
Removal from power of the Butcher of Baghdad, Osama the Odious and the similarly poisonous ruling cadres in Syria, Iran and Palestine is essential for the well-being of those they rule, for our fellow Americans, for Israelis, Arabs and Muslims, indeed for every freedom-loving person on the planet.
Mr. President, the Congress has given you the mandate you have requested. Under your leadership, our nation is clearly re-dedicated to the need to eliminate those who would see our society ruined. And eliminated they will be: The nation calls for action.
The time to act is now.