Have We Learned from Failed U.S. Policy in the New Dictator-Run Iraq

In his insightful opinion about the duality in American policy between what’s going on in Egypt vs. Iraq,

Abdulrahman al-Rashed makes the following interesting observation:

 

The [Middle East] region is holding the U.S. accountable for its actions. It believes that Washington is asking Arabs to buy tickets to attend electoral contests, engage in the democratic system and, in the end, Washington will sidestep the consequences.

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki after a joint press event on Camp Victory, Iraq, April 7, 2009. Obama spoke to hundreds of U.S. troops during his surprise visit to Iraq to thank them for their service. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Iraq, for example, the United States has conducted the largest operation to establish democracy in the region. It spent millions of dollars for millions of Iraqis to vote with their fingers dyed in purple ink. Thus, a new government was born, however, it was similar to the regime of Saddam Hussein. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has been ruling since 2006, turned into a dictator who runs the whole country from his office. He manages security services, prisons, the army, intelligence services, and the finance system. The parliament and the government no longer have any value. Maliki decides on the oil contracts, arms and state projects. He signs execution decrees and accuses his political opponents to the point that many of them are either dead or fleeing the country to avoid persecution.

English: Iraqi-American, Samir, 34, pinning deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to the ground during his capture in Tikrit, on Saturday July 24, 2004. Samir was the translator for the U.S. Special Forces that helped find Hussein and pull him from his hiding place on December 13, 2003. Samir recently met with U.S. President Bush and thanked him for liberating Iraq. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If the U.S. government had shown some courage in Iraq, as it is doing in Egypt today, it would have probably been able to say that Americans are consistent in their policy. However, it is actually doing the opposite. In Egypt, the U.S. did not punish the government when the Brotherhood prevented courts from being convened, tried to disable the judiciary, persecuted the media and decided to control the entire regime, not only the government. If Washington was really interested in democracy, it would have demonstrated that through its foreign policy. It is not possible to remain silent regarding the heinous violations of the democratic regime in Iraq, but at the same time pursue Egypt with sanctions.

 

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2013/10/18/Egypt-and-the-dispute-with-the-United-States.html

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