How much is an Iraqi worth for the world, The story and hopefully the end

BY Laith Yousif

I usually refrain from writing a post about issue and provide links to other views, mainly because I see a lot of repetitive information, this post will be an exception because I feel very passionately about this era and most of my beliefs today was shaped based on how humane the world have been in the last 2 decades toward human lives when they look differently than yours. Today I opened my eyes to read the news that the economic sanctions against Iraq are to be lifted, something that took Iraq toward total collapse and got millions of Iraqis to flee the country.

Sadaam the guy who by his practices and disgusting politics dragged Iraq into invading Kuwait for what he described in his speech who he addressed the “honorable” in this world, he said the action was needed because Kuwait played an unfair economical rule that got Iraq to lose a billion dollar of revenue for each dollar the price of barrel went down. Now some may see the economical effect as a huge deal but what he cared about at that moment was really grabbing more power, as he never cared about the economical game, in fact under his rule Iraq went broke right from the get go with Iraq-Iran war.

Now lets see how the civilized world reacted to Saddam’s stupid behavior after invading Kuwait, first economical sanctions (which is the reason I felt I need to write this), and then a war in 1991 that killed many in Iraq, then they allowed Saddam to use his Helicopters to attack civilians in the North and South of Iraq (All this under the name of the (Civilized world),  then bombing through the 90’s that killed many , one of them is one of Iraq amazing artist “Layla Al Attar”, who got killed during one of those bombings in the 90s.

One of the “most civilized” reaction to the sanctions came from someone I thought at that time she could be a force for good.

When asked on US television if she [Madeline Albright, US Secretary of State] thought that the death of half a million Iraqi children [from sanctions in Iraq] was a price worth paying, Albright replied: “This is a very hard choice, but we think the price is worth it.”

I could not believe that she said that but then remembered as long as you are not portrayed by the media as a “bad guy” like Saddam was , its OK to make a screwed up policy and  the media would keep calling you sweet names, at the end of the day half a million Iraqi children don’t have a media campaign behind them that will make the world stand against such words or actions.

Now many will start blabing about the Oil for food program and how corrupted it was,  It was supposedly intended to be there to help Iraqis to survive, I usually tend to think of those who come up with this argument as “brain dead” at their best. That program was a tool to look less inhumane by politicians and it opened doors for companies to benefit from the huge oil resources of Iraq, through giving Saddam cash. It was never intended to help Iraqis, the only benefit that Iraqis got out of it was simply more food on their table through the government rations that made few more survive another year or 2, Iraq was crippled economically to a point that kids at schools were coming to school without breakfast because their parents could not afford it.

Then we fast forward to 2003 when the evil Saddam was taken out under the promise of “Freeing the Iraqi People” which only the naive believe, even though if you read and educate yourself about the situation you will see that many politicians disregard human lives beyond belief, I have heared so many politicians say these exact words without  hesitation

Its better to fight ALQAIDA  over there than we fight them here

I have been disgusted by Saddam so many times, but I expect him to be like that because from day one no one beleived he was a good guy, well except for idiots in the Arab world who never lived , but politician who call themselves civilised and humanee and talk about freedom , saying that is beyond disgusting especially when you associate yourself with mainstream politicians.

Iraqis today are reading the news that  the sanction that was installed on Iraq because of Invading Kuwait is nearing an end, guess why this time. So that companies can sell civilian nuclear technology to Iraq.

Brilliant, 20 years of suffering and more than a million Iraqis dead, and what move the civilised international community to remove sanctions is simply money.

Now we know what the word civilized really mean!.