Arab Perspective: Undemocratic move reeks of colonialism

Amid U.S. preparations for the strike against Iraq, Baghdad has accepted the condition set by Washington to allow inspection of the presidential compounds in search for weapons of mass destruction. The House of Representatives and the Senate granted the U.S. president authorisation to war. Huda Fawzi of Gulf News Research Centre reviews the Arab press's discussion of these developments.

The votes of the House of Representatives and the Senate for the strike against Iraq prove that the extreme right bloc in the American administration is determined to launch the war and that it is making every possible effort to form a coalition for this purpose, says Al Watan (Oman) in its editorial comment.

However, these votes should not be considered a legitimate cover that authorises the American administration to launch the war because the votes are totally American and do not reflect the opinion of people in other countries. If the UN recognises such votes passing a resolution on war, then it should consider the votes of other parliaments and councils in the world, adds Al Watan.

The American votes do not impose any obligation on other countries as they are not based on international law. The UN should not be influenced by this procedure. In fact, it is imperative now to separate American issues from international ones so that world affairs do not become subject to U.S. interests, says Al Watan.

Moreover, these votes do not reflect the aspirations of the American people who have not supported the war totally. The votes are an internal affair, but the U.S. should recognise that this war is an international matter and that the UN is the only eligible body that can authorise such a war, adds Al Watan.

Just like the votes of the House and the Senate, the U.S. rejection of Baghdad's proposal to admit inspectors to the sites specified by Washington proves its determination to launch war. This requires the UN to vote for a different decision so as to avoid a human catastrophe, concludes Al Watan.

The White House plan reveals that an American-led government will rule Iraq for a transitional period that might extend to five years, and that General Tommy Franks is among those recommended for this mission.

This plan is not surprising as the whole world has become an American protectorate during Bush's rule, with the people of all nations viewed as insignificant, says Akhbar Al-Arab (UAE) in its editorial comment.

For this reason the occupation of Iraq was expected, especially with the ineffectiveness of the international Law and the UN charter, and the prevalence of the law of the jungle. With such U.S. hegemony, it is but natural that it occupies Iraq initially and other countries at a later stage, especially since it is striving to control the world's wealth, adds Akhbar Al-Arab.

Dictatorship

With such action, Washington will revive colonialism by controlling countries militarily, especially since the neo-colonialism that it implemented through the giant multinational companies, huge investments, and cultural invasion have become obsolete and are no longer suitable for its ambitions, says Akhbar Al-Arab.

Moreover, the plan was unveiled at the same time as the release of a formal report overseen by U.S. vice-president, Dick Cheney. This report stated that U.S. oil consumption will increase by one-third during the next two decades. This means that the U.S. will import two-thirds of the amount it actually needs. The report also stated that the energy issue should be prioritised, adds Akhbar Al-Arab.

All of this confirms that Washington wants to control Iraq's oil, which is the second largest reserve in the world. It is for this reason, and not to disarm Iraq or establish democracy, that Washington aims at invading and occupying it. But how is it possible to establish democracy by American tanks led by General Franks, asks Akhbar Al-Arab.

All indications confirm that the U.S. will invade Iraq. In fact, Bush has made this decision a long time ago. Referring the issue to the Congress was only a tactic to show that his administration is democratic, although after the September 11 attacks he has become a ruler with absolute power.

Indeed, he has become just like any third world dictator who relies on spies, agents and security forces that can detain anyone without trial. All that remains for Bush's regime to become a real dictatorship is to declare a state of emergency, says Akhbar Al- Arab.

Carrot and stick policy

With such absolute power, the U.S. will inevitably strike Iraq since it dominates the UN and can convince the member states in the Security Council of this decision through its carrot and stick policy, concludes Akhbar Al-Arab.

In fact, the White House plan brings to memory all that happened in the Arab region after World War I. The result of this war was a military occupation of the region, which was also divided among the colonial powers at that time according to the Sykes-Picot agreement, says Al-Khaleej (UAE) in its editorial comment.

Most probably, the "international war against terrorism" will result in a direct military occupation of the region so as to restructure it according to U.S. economic interests and its need for oil similar to what followed the Sykes-Picot agreement, adds Al-Khaleej.

Ironically, the Americans who allege that the main reason for the strike against Iraq is to save the Iraqi people from dictatorship and restore democracy by helping Iraqis to rule their own country actually intend to install a foreign military ruler, thereby cancelling any role for the Iraqis, including the opposition, says Al-Khaleej.

Furthermore, the White House also announced that Iraq, under U.S. supervision, will sell more oil. This is a candid confession that Washington's aim in invading Iraq is mainly to control the sources of oil. In spite of that, the American administration calls its intended aggression against Iraq "liberation", concludes Al-Khaleej.

Since the U.S. considers itself the leader of the liberal world that opposes colonisation, the former U.S. president Ronald Regan called the USSR the "empire of evil" because of its invasion of Afghanistan and its attempts to control other regions in the world.

But with the collapse of the USSR, more countries joined the paradise of American liberalism that Washington used to promote, writes Jalal Al Mashta in Al Hayat (UK based).

Joining the American bloc as such made the U.S. a real empire in the Roman sense of the word. As a matter of fact, the present U.S. president has been trying to capture both the ruling and religious authorities, adds Al Mashta.

Thus, the White House has masterminded the Iraqi issue using this imperial concept and refused to listen to the European and American voices that oppose war. Today, the U.S. has stated openly that the international law no longer suits its policies. For this reason, it wants to cancel this law or amend it to suit its own interests, says Al Mashta.

In this respect, the U.S. was not ashamed to disclose its plan to occupy a member state of the United Nations and to install a colonial administration there led by an American general. Although such frankness unveiled facts already