DEMOCRATIZATION OF IRAQ OR THE ARAB REVOLUTIONS THAT DEVOUR CHILDREN OF OTHERS

Famous Danton’s phrase, exclaimed right before his execution, has long ago become a platitude. Arab revolutions that still shake the Middle East do not only devour its own children, i.e. revolutionaries themselves. They literally take the lives of other kids. This is not only applied to Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen, where the crowds of revolutionaries had driven the centennial dictators out of their palaces. Even Iraq, where the revolution was brought at the bayonets of American SEALs (with democratization of the country being their prime goal), shared that grievous lot.

«DEMOCRACY» IN IRAQ

Murders of demonstrators, beatings of journalists and deportation of refugees, who are of no interest for the West

At the background of violently raging “Arab Spring”, news from Iraq has shifted to the background almost by itself. Revolutionary fervor of the Cairo Tahrir Square champions at first, and then Colonel Gaddafi have ousted Iraq from the news. Yet, it turned out that the country that was to become a showcase of democracy in the Arab world, makes a great match for its revolutionary neighbors, in fact. “Democratic” Iraqi authorities arrest journalists and attack demonstrators every bit as zealously as their counterparts from other countries.

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At the background of violently raging “Arab Spring”, news from Iraq has shifted to the background almost by itself. Revolutionary fervor of the Cairo Tahrir Square champions at first, and then Colonel Gaddafi have ousted Iraq from the news. Yet, it turned out that the country that was to become a showcase of democracy in the Arab world, makes a great match for its revolutionary neighbors, in fact. “Democratic” Iraqi authorities arrest journalists and attack demonstrators every bit as zealously as their counterparts from other countries.

OBAMA: TWO YEARS TO CLEAN THE FOREIGN POLICY STABLES OUT. Part II

                                  4. Settlement of the Middle-Eastern conflict.

Cool-down of American-Israeli relationship was nearly the most dangerous consequence of Barack Obama’s coming to power. No matter how paradoxically it may sound, but Israel is every bit as important to America, as America is important to Israel. Republicans have historically supported Israel with a truly religious zealous fervor and — believe it or not — but neo-con ideology, confessed by the GOP is to a considerable degree based on the literal interpretation of some Biblical excerpts. According to them, second coming of Jesus Christ and the Judgment Day may only come when Judaic Jerusalem Temple (also called the Third Temple) would be completely restored. Place where it should be rebuilt is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. As the saying goes, that’s where the shoe pinches. Without going deep into historical and religious details, we have all the reasons to state that Temple Mount is an equally sacred place for all three Avraam’s religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). That is why Palestinians demand to give Jerusalem back to them, which is also why Israel has no intention to do so and which is exactly why American neo-cons are supporting the Jewish state.

Two years to clean the foreign policy stables out

Perhaps, everyone may recollect the Obamania that spread over Europe, Asia and Africa during his election campaign in the USA. Europe perceived Obama to be new reincarnation of John F. Kennedy — young, elegant, free-thinking adherent of liberal democracy. Asia and Africa were joyous because of the color of his skin. Whatever the motivation, expectation of a wonder that literally was hanging in the air, unified all Obamaniacs. Miracle, however, didn’t happen. Why is that?

Analyzing the policy of current American democratic administration we should always keep in mind that it is conducted under constant stiff pressure of its eternal opponents — Republicans and the governments of U.S. allies. The latter have their own views regarding the favorable behavior of their Trans-Atlantic “Big Brother” — each of them is to serve the interests of these allies even if it contradicts the goals of other American friends, who are mostly grouped within NATO or simply bound together by the shared aims and targets.

Eight years that changed America. Part II

8. Iraq. The Iraq war was a screw-up of such colossal magnitude that it's easy to forget how many discrete screw-ups went into the making of it. There were the nonexistent weapons of mass destruction and the nonexistent links between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. There's the humiliating spectacle of Secretary of State Colin Powell presenting hours of bogus testimony to the U.N. Security Council. There was Paul Wolfowitz's bizarre claim that the war would pay for itself, when the real price tag is now in excess of $1 trillion. And let us not forget the 4,000 Americans and 100,000 Iraqi civilians dead, more than 30,000 American soldiers wounded, and several million Iraqi refugees forced to flee their homes. A strategy that was supposed to bring U.S.-friendly democracy to the Middle East instead produced an empowered Iran and a more fragile balance of power in the region. The only thing more astonishing than the scope of these blunders is the fact that the former president does not regret his decision, even now.