US Crimes and Iraqi Resistance

By Ghali Hassan

05/04/04 "ICH" With the exception of Al-jazeera, there are no unimbedded journalists in Fallujah. Raul Mahajan (EmpireNotes) and Dahr Jamail (New Standard) left the city some times ago. Therefore it is very difficult to get exact or near exact estimate of Iraqi victims of US violence. AFP and other sources put the number of Iraqi civilians killed in Fallujah at more than 100 people, mostly women and children. 

When a journalist put the question of civilian victims to Mark Kimmitt, the US propagandist in Baghdad, his response was: "change the channel". According to Amnesty International report "Half of at least 600 people who died in recent fighting between US forces and insurgents in Fallujah are said to have been civilians, many of them women and children."(Howard Zinn, The Progressive, June 2004). Anyone who drops 500-pound bombs on a town full of civilians MUST know that they will be slaughtering civilians. Using helicopter gun ships and attack aircrafts to carpet bob civilian areas and districts is terrorism, as terrorism clearly defined. There can be no excuse, and calling it "collateral damage" is simply obscene and crimes against humanity. Many innocent poor people have been mutilated from the sky in their own houses.

Fallujah now is the simple of Iraqi resistance and unity against an illegal and immoral occupation. In every major speech (Friday prayer sermon), Imam Muqtadha Al-Sadr saluted and praised the people of Fallujah for their courage and bravery. Donations to support the people of Fallujah have been pouring from all over the country. US actions in Iraq and her hypocrisy of "democracy" have increased Al-Sadr popularity in Iraq and beyond. Accusations against Al-Sadr were unfounded and unsubstantiated. Al-Sadr's father was the leader of large Muslim majority in Iraq and he has far more influence in Iraq, because he speaks the language of the people of Iraq. The majority of the Iraqi people love Muqtadha Al-Sadr. This Shi'ites versus Sinni'is division is simply a fantasy of the West. Only united, the Iraqi people can force the U.S. to leave their country. History has shown no civil war in Iraq, and only unity can save the Iraqi from the tyranny of the U.S. and it's smattering of allies.

Contrary to other Imams, he is an Iraqi and has been in Iraq all his life. His relation to Iran is like the relation of any Iraqi Moslem to Iran. Al-Sadr often criticised those who spent most of their lives abroad, and returned only when it was saver to return to Iraq. Other Imams (who are mostly of Iranian origins) do have contact with Iran and with the occupying power. It is important to mention that the people of Iraq never accept Iran involvements in Iraq affairs. Iraqis make difference between state and religion. The family of Al-Sadr is well known in Iraq for its opposition to oppression.

The Al-Sadr movement and followers did not advocate violence in the past, and their activities have been social. They provided security for their neighbourhoods after the American destruction of the Iraqi state. They resorted to armed resistance because the Americans viciously attacked them. 

Mr. Paul Bremer, the American man in Baghdad, is nervously against Al-Sadr movement. Aaron Glantz of IPS nicely puts it: "[Al]-Sadr attacks U.S. with Democracy" (IPS, 22 April 2004). Al-Sadr has publicly denounced the illegal "Iraqi Constitution" drafted by Mr. Bremer. Furthermore, Al-Sadr is advocating democratic elections, the end of the occupation and the so-called "Iraqi Governing Council (IGC)" incompetency to govern. These did not go very well with Paul Bremer or his IGC appointees. Open democratic elections mean the end of the appointees and their corruption. They are very disliked by the Iraqi people. In fact they are called by Iraqis, the "Governed" council. The slaughter of civilians in Fallujah exposed members of the IGC naked. Some of them thought resignation is the best way for a little of respect. The reality is the IGC has allied itself with Bremer and Kimmitt.

Naomi Klein (just returned from Iraq) has called the latest events in Iraq a "mutiny" (The Nation, May 17, 2004). I agree, there is no quagmire in Iraq, and the Americans can leave any time they whish to do so. Quagmire is simply a deception used by some mainstream journalists and Western elites to manipulate and trick their populations. A mass uprising in Iraq against the occupation is not uncommon. It is brewing and it will be sooner than later. The Americans can hire many Iraqis, but they will never be able to buy Iraqis. Iraqis know very well the intention of Americans in the Middle East. Iraqis do not buy the tricks. Iraqis know that they are alone. They gave up on the UN, because they see the UN as "a tool of U.S. foreign policy".

What is needed now is for the world community to help the American administration to end its brutal occupation of Iraq, and assist the Iraqi people to build their country and their lives. Americans have no business in Iraq. Americans are needed in America to fix their own education, health and housing systems. Americans should look carefully in the mirror. Iraqis, despite all odds have lived and managed their own affairs for many thousands of years. The game is over. Thank you America. Please go home now.


Ghali Hassan is in the Science and Mathematics Education Centre, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia. G.Hassan@exchange.curtin.edu.au