Author: garykent

Blogger Salam Pax has a fascinating piece in the Guardian on the run-up to the Iraqi election in which he says we go to vote again hoping that we will not be blown to pieces. And I really believe that we Iraqis do deserve a bit of credit for having done that twice now. I don’t think there is a better demonstration of the will to get this political process rolling and keeping it rolling than participating under the threat of violent death. I know I make fun of it all the time but this is not to be mistaken … Continue reading Purple fingers crossed for elections

Nick Cohen examines the contradictions of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament which he says is tying itself in knots with its position on Iran and should stick to anti-fascist principles. Here is the full article. Before you go to a left-wing meeting, brace yourself for the likelihood that everyone you meet in the hall will be standing on their head. Do not be surprised to see communists supporting fascism, feminists throwing their arms around misogynists and liberals volunteering to be advocates for tyranny. It’s been like this since 9/11 turned the world upside down, and the temptation for a journalist … Continue reading Stick to anti-fascism

Mrs. Sharon Hodgson (Gateshead, East and Washington, West) (Lab): If he will make a statement on the development of the Iraqi security force. The Secretary of State for Defence (John Reid): We are continuing to build the capability of the Iraqi security forces so that they are increasingly able to take responsibility for delivering law and order themselves. The Iraqi security forces will provide the immediate security for the planned elections this Thursday and oversee the whole event. Mrs. Hodgson: I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. Does he agree that this Thursday’s elections will further marginalise the … Continue reading LFIQ mentioned in despatches in Commons

The Asian Football Business Review reports positive strides in soccer in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I initially make 10 propositions on what has happened in Iraq. I then draw conclusions on how Labour Movement activists can respond. (1) Iraq suffered from extreme forms of military and political exploitation under Saddam Hussein and his totalitarian Ba’athist Regime. (2) The economic and social conditions of the great bulk of the Iraqi people then collapsed as a consequence of the lengthy Iraq-Iran War, the Gulf-War and the United Nations economic sanctions. This was extended by Saddam’s reactions in deepening his exploitive controls. (3) The US-led invasion created further deaths, destruction and turmoil and helped to to the stimulate … Continue reading LFIQ Joint President Harry Barnes examines options for the British labour Movement on Iraq

The Observer rightly criticises rendition.

Dr Toby Dodge in the Independent writes that calling for speedy troop withdrawal in the vain hope that things will somehow miraculously get better once British and American troops have gone cannot deliver this. He concludes that An honest and sustainable approach to the unfolding tragedy would be, first, to admit that the situation is very bad and getting worse. Second, it would admit that the rebuilding of the Iraqi state and reconciliation of its population is beyond the resources or capacity of any one state, even the world’s sole remaining super power. Once these two things have been recognised, … Continue reading Toby Dodge on rebuilding Iraq

Ann Clwyd, the Special Envoy to the Prime Minister on Human Rights in Iraq defends herself in the Independent on the issue of human rights abuses in Iraq.

The Irish Times (via www.nuzhound.com) reports that Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari is studying the Northern Ireland peace process “very closely” to see if the same approach could help resolve the conflict in his own country but recognises that that the problem was the greater intensity and viciousness of the Iraqi conflict and that the insurgents had no political dimension. He said that the motto of those who are fighting us is very simple: Either we rule Iraq or we burn Iraq.’

The Next Century Foundation provided the only international observers operating at large in the interior of Iraq and accredited as election monitors to the Independent Electoral Commission for Iraq during the recent referendum on the new iraqi constitution. Their warts and all report concludes that Overall, we regard this referendum as having been fair — despite minor local irregularities. Though these were regrettable, they had no significant effect on the final outcome.