America’s aim from perpetuating the sanctions against Iraq is known. She aims at consolidating her military presence in the Gulf under the pretext of defending its countries. Hence, she is always hyping the threat posed by Iran and Iraq against the Gulf states, in order to make their rulers cling to the American protection. At present, America has huge aerial, territorial and naval forces stationed in the shores and the lands of the Gulf statelets.
The latest crisis instigated by Baghdad, when she expelled the American inspectors, had other aims than the general aim reflected in strengthening the American presence and hegemony over the Gulf. America had claimed during the crisis through her defence secretary William Cohen that Iraq had acquired lethal biological weapons, and that she possessed sufficient quantities to exterminate the whole human race. This claim is in fact a message to the Jews, aimed at making them realise the dangerous consequences awaiting them if Netanyahu were to continue in his policy of confrontation with the Arabs and to work towards destroying the peace process. In addition to this, the Iraqi humanitarian needs were also highlighted during the crisis, noting that the agreement signed with the United Nations, known as “Oil for Food and Medicine” does not meet Iraq’s needs, which means the Iraqi oil revenues must be increased.
What is remarkable is that during the crisis, the focus was on one issue which in fact should have been evident, but it has for a long time been shrouded with ambiguity and it started to raise suspicions. This issue is that if Iraq did not have any weapons of mass destruction, this means the ban should be lifted.
Light has been shed over this issue through the statements made by the United Nations officials, as well as the American, Russian and French officials who represent their countries in the international organisation. This focus cannot be accidental, it is rather an establishment of a basis upon which the ban imposed on Iraq will be lifted when the international inspectors declare that Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction, without giving anyone the right to veto this decision.
Lifting the ban will not take place until America deems that she has achieved her aims from it, or that her interest in lifting the ban exceeds her interest in maintaining it. If we were to take into consideration the reality that Iraq does not have anything in terms of weapons of mass destruction, we could perceive that lifting the ban on Iraq becomes theoretically expected anytime. As for when this will happen, this cannot be accurately predicted; however, the latest crisis indicates that this will be in the near future unless something unexpected occurs.
The Media Forum of Hizb ut-Tahrir
22nd Shaaban 1418
22 December 1997
