The Iraqi foreign minister wrote this article in Washington Post today. He calls for an international help. To some extent, I can understand his point:
Iraqis, for all our determination and courage, cannot succeed alone. We
need a healthy and supportive regional environment. We will not allow our country to be a battleground for settling scores in regional and international conflicts that adversely affect stability inside our borders. Only with continued international commitment and deeper engagement from our neighbors can we establish a stable democratic, federal and united Iraq. The world should not abandon us.
Yes, he is right "the world should not abandon us". However, it seems that he missed two things others can see: first, Iraqi government has abandoned itself; and second, he lets America, instead of "the world", take care of his country.
My Iraqi friend, a taxi driver in Columbus, whose family live in Baghdad, is really disappointed that some of the government officials, particularly the prime minister, have sent their family abroad. How can these people feel what their people feel if they just live in the green zone and their families are save there in Europe or US? Zebari may be right when he writes:
Contrary to popular belief, most government ministries are located outside the Green Zone, and employees drive to work every day despite death threats and attacks on colleagues and families.
"Outside the green zone" only means outside the country, and he himself implies that only the employees, not the ministries who really live a risky life... What kind of government who is fear of its own people and hide behind the foreign troop?
Secondly, while he calls "the world" to save Iraq, does he really mean the world or his beloved ally Bush? As long as his government relies on Bush more than an international institution, the world would not care about Iraq. So, please let America go and invite an international troop to replace it.
I know, Bush and Chaney will never let Iraq be in an international hand. But, please don't try to use terrorism and al-Qaeda as your pretexts to rally the international community for support, you just please Bush by using this rhetoric. Terrorism is growing rapidly in your soil because of this invasion, not the other way round.
- The complete article: Hoshyar Zebari - Don't Abandon Us - washingtonpost.com
- The cartoon: AntiWar.com
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