Is it really twenty years since the start of the Iraq War? Yes it is. Whether you supported it or opposed it it’s been, along with 9/11, a defining moment for the world in the early part of the 21st century.
Tim Black has produced an excellent article in Spiked Magazine looking back at the Iraq War. He’s gone back before 2003 and into the nineties and looked into the political currents that created the conditions that made intervention in Iraq possible.
Whatever way you look at it the Iraq War was a monstrous cock up. Those prosecuting the war didn’t listen to those who knew about the place and the result was horrendous bloodshed with the majority of those killed being Iraqis. But as Mr Black says, the growth in the West in the conceited belief that there could be an ethical foreign policy and that nations could have their borders violated because of ‘human rights’ concerns, was the fertilizer that helped the Iraq War to grow.
It’s an excellent but mournful read and you can find it by the link below.
https://www.spiked-online.com/2023/03/19/the-road-to-hell-in-iraq-was-paved-with-good-intentions/
Good link although (l had already seen it), raises some interesting points and l agree the consequences of this intervention have been a cock-up. Ditto Afghanistan.
I do question some of Tim Black’s conclusions and assumptions though. Firstly, the West’s intervention in Bosnia was, in my opinion, one of the few examples of a morally sound action during my lifetime. I was (and still am) proud of the part this country played in halting what was happenning there. It did, though, set a precedent which may have led to his major point.
Black proposes that the West had developed a taste for ‘humanitarian intervensions’ which l have to question. Put in historical perspective the second Gulf war followed decades of some countries and leaders in the Middle East launching and/or supporting terrorist attacks on the West. In reality the West was very restrained until the twin tower attack at which point it became necessary to set clear boundaries and an example. Sadddam had already put himself in the cross hairs through his anti West rhetoric, support and encouragement for terrorists and by making the Bathists and Iraq the regional neighbour from hell. I’ve always believed this was the main motive for the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions and that the concept of ‘humanitarian intervensions’ was an easy way of suppressing dissent at home – lets be honest, Hussein and the Taliban were absolutely vile in their behaviour and provided endless examples of why removing them was a ‘good thing’. In other words, it seems to me the humanitarian concept was more propaganda than true motive and in that it was quite successful which may be why the concept keeps reappearing. America was right to help rebuild both countries afterwards but made it’s usual arrogant mistake of believing everyone wants the ‘American way of life’ and tried to force it on the Iraqis and Afghans who, understandibly, resisted. Another example of do-gooders making things worse.
Lastly, Black puts the Iraq and Ukraine wars on a similar moral footing in his last two paragraphs. This is simply false, while both aimed to replace regimes (presumably with ones more friendly) everything else is different. The West never intended to occupy Iraq or Afghanistan indefinitely whereas Putin has made clear his aim of permanently depriving the Ukranian people of their country and freedoms. Chalk and cheese.
Hope you will forgive the long comment
Phil
Long comment perfectly acceptable. Agree with you on Bosnia, I remember this story unfolding live and there was a strong moral case for intervention. The situation in that region isn’t perfect but it is much better than it was. Re the idea of humanitarian interventions I can see both sides of this argument, it was an argument put forward by Nick Cohen regarding Iraq as he had had contacts within the Iraqi Left and trade unions who were being crapped upon. Saddam’s Iraq was indeed supporting regional terrorism during the nineties if I recall some of the news stories correctly.
You are correct in saying that there are differences between Ukraine, which Russia wants to absorb and Afghanistan and Iraq that the Americans wanted to leave to their own devices as soon as they could.