[R-G] U.S. influence in Iraq far from over

[Anthony Fenton]

Sun, March 1, 2009
U.S. influence in Iraq far from over
By ERIC MARGOLIS
http://www.edmontonsun.com/Comment/2009/03/01/8575876-sun.html

Barack Obama won the votes of many Americans by promising to swiftly  
end the Iraq War and bring U.S. troops home. He denounced George W.  
Bush's invasion of Iraq as a "violation of international law."

So will U.S. troops leave Iraq? Will those responsible for this  
trumped-up war face justice?

No, on both counts.

President Obama says U.S. combat troops will leave Iraq by August  
2010. However, the U.S. military occupation will not end. What we are  
seeing is a public relations shell game.

The U.S. has 142,000 soldiers and nearly 100,000 mercenaries occupying  
Iraq. Obama's plan calls for withdrawing the larger portion of the  
U.S. garrison but leaving 50,000-60,000 troops in Iraq.

To get around his promise to withdraw all "combat" troops, the  
president and his advisers are rebranding the stay-behind garrison as  
"training troops, protection for American interests, and  
counterterrorism forces."

At a time when the U.S. is bankrupt and faces a $1.75 trillion  
deficit, the Pentagon's gargantuan $664 billion budget (50% of total  
global military spending) will grow in 2009 and 2010 by another $200  
billion to pay for the occupation of Iraq and Obama's expanded war in  
Afghanistan. Throw in another $40 billion to $50 billion for the CIA  
and other intelligence agencies.

Obama insists the U.S. will withdraw from Iraq. But his words are  
belied by the Pentagon, which continues to expand bases in Iraq,  
including Balad and Al-Asad, with 4,400-metre runways for heavy  
bombers and transports.

AIR BRIDGE

They are key links in the U.S. Air Force's new air bridge that extends  
from Germany to Bulgaria and Romania, Iraq and the Gulf, then onward  
to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Besides Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone and U.S. embassy (the  
world's largest), the Pentagon reportedly wants to retain 58 permanent  
bases in Iraq (by comparison, there are 36 in South Korea), total  
control of its air space and immunity from Iraqi law for all U.S.  
troops.

The U.S. also will retain major bases in neighbouring Kuwait, Bahrain,  
Qatar, Oman and Diego Garcia. U.S. oil companies are moving in to  
exploit Iraq's vast energy reserves, the Mideast's second largest  
after Saudi Arabia.

U.S. troop levels will remain high during Iraq's December elections to  
ensure "security," according to the Pentagon. In other words, ensuring  
the U.S.-selected regime "wins" the vote. Iraqi parties, notably  
Baath, opposing the U.S. occupation, are banned from running. Many  
Iraqis believe the U.S. will never leave their nation.

In short, contrary to all Obama's high-blown rhetoric about pulling  
out of Iraq, Washington clearly intends it will remain a U.S.  
military, political and economic protectorate. Washington is following  
exactly the same control model the British Empire used to rule Iraq,  
and exploit its oil: Install a figurehead ruler, keep him in power  
using a "native" army (read today's Iraqis army and police). RAF units  
based in Iraq (read U.S. air bases) bomb any rebellious areas. Smaller  
British ground units based in non-urban areas are on call to put down  
attempted coups against the king. The U.S. plan for Iraq is identical.

Obama made clear that officials responsible for the Iraq war, torture,  
kidnapping or assassination will not be prosecuted. The theft of over  
$50 billion in U.S. "reconstruction" funds sent to Iraq is being  
hushed up.

By contrast, Britons are demanding release of cabinet documents  
leading to war that are likely to expose Tony Blair's lies and  
illegalities.

BYGONES

There is no corresponding call for justice in the United States. Obama  
tells the public, let bygones be bygones. Unless, of course, it's  
Osama bin Laden.

Between 600,000 and one million Iraqis died as a result of President  
George W. Bush's aggression, which cost nearly $1 trillion and some  
4,500 U.S. dead. Four million Iraqis remain refugees. The U.S. holds  
over 20,000 Iraqi political prisoners.

Mr. President, this is not a bygone. It's a historic crime that  
demands justice. Keep your word about withdrawing from Iraq. Enough  
with the Bush doubletalk.