A story from Iraq

A work colleague sent me an article from Iraq with a comment that I should read it because it would help me to understand why it is that so many people loathe the Americans and have problems with the people who have "invaded" their country.

The story is about a leading Shia MP who fought against Saddam Hussein and whose house was recently broken into by British troops in what the authorities call an 'intelligence blunder'.

Considering that this man then had his front door smashed in with explosives, his cars damaged, his computers wrecked and some $260,000 stolen from his property I can understand why he would be less than happy. Considering that the British army had just allocated a helicopter resource to him to travel to Baghdad from his southern quarters I find it difficult to believe that the army there is SO incompetent that a person that they support and think of as an ally is the one whose home is attacked in this manner. Then again I find it interesting that anyone would keep a quarter of a million dollars in the house either even when the banks are probably less than reliable in that country.

The story whether it is true or false is nonetheless one which will make the rounds and will influence the opinions of people as they hang around the coffee houses and chat or exchange dinner conversation and the like. In short, if past experience is any teacher, the story will become the underpinnings of yet more information which can be used in as many ways as the person telling it or the person listening considers useful.

I would not be surprised if there was more to this story than meets the eye in more than one respect. Stories from the middle east have a tendency to hide more than they reveal.

That said let's be realistic. Since the end of the First World War the British, French and Americans have been involved in the creation of the middle east as it exists today. Their carving up of the former Ottoman empire resulted in the countries which exist today. It was their work which created the ruling structures within those countries and it was their work which has in many instances ensured their continuing survival. The Saudi royal house was nothing but a bunch of marauding tribesmen when they were used in the process of winning the war in the middle east in the First World War. Look at them now. Look at how they are treating the people who live in their country and look at who can thus be blamed for the consequences. For that matter look at any of the other countries in the region as well. All of them have little or no experience of the notion of democracy. Their entire history is filled with strong ruling elites some more benign than others. Tribal and family loyalties are what drive this region in reality while people use religion and ethnicity to hide this fact.

The connectivity between oil and the ruling elite in America cannot be discounted. At present we have some of the highest oil prices in the world. Who does this benefit? Follow the money trail I always say. If you do you will find that the oil companies of the world are the beneficiaries. Then look at who owns and runs these companies, and I do NOT mean their shareholders and you will find such illustrious names as the Bush family highly prominent among them.

Without meaning to be cynical it is the last hurrah for the Bush family to enrich itself, after all who are they going to run for President next - the current Governor of Florida? God help us!

But then again that family claims that God is on their side and from recent experience, they may be right though one else seems to be.