Foreign Correspondence

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Al-Zebari Says Conflict Undermining Iraqi Government

I commend Iraq’s interim Foreign Minister Hoshyar al-Zebari in that he recognizes and refuses to fall into the name-calling swamp into which the simple-minded Bush has pulled the United States.

"When you describe a country as your 'Enemy No. 1,' you have burned all your bridges." -- al-Zebari

The unwitting Bush in referring to expanding the war on terrorism has referred to Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an ‘axis of evil’.

One can’t help but recall that Hitler and Stalin wanted, like Bush, to rid the world of evil.

Bush in declaring Iran part of the ‘axis of evil’ has blocked US oil corporations from investing in Iran.
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Beyond our inability to do business or even effectively negotiate with countries such as Iran the most frightening aspect of Bush’s stance is that this type of second grade name-calling is indicative of a primitive mind at best capable of viewing the world in extremely stark, elementary black-and-white terms. That black and white mixed together makes gray escapes him.

Solzhenitsyn could easily substitute evil country for evil people in his remark.

If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere, insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?
Alexander Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago

-Am

Al-Zebari Says Conflict Undermining Iraqi Government

By Peyman Pejman

Monday, 23 August 2004

Iraq's interim Foreign Minister Hoshyar al-Zebari told RFE/RL in an exclusive interview yesterday that the ongoing conflict in the southern Iraqi city of Al-Najaf is hurting the government's credibility. He also said he thinks some other ministers in the interim administration made a mistake by calling Iran the "Enemy No. 1" of Iraq.

Baghdad, 23 August 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Iraq's interim Foreign Minister Hoshyar al-Zebari told RFE/RL yesterday that the conflict in Al-Najaf between the armed followers of radical Shi'ite leader Muqtada al-Sadr and combined U.S.-Iraqi forces is having a negative impact on the interim government's credibility.

"The government's reputation is on the line. I believe it has to act decisively and robustly in order to contain this major crisis that is facing the government," al-Zebari said. "It threatens law and order."

Al-Zebari said that there have been serious discussions among cabinet ministers about how to deal with the conflict. He said the ministers are aware that time is not on their side.

"The cabinet is united. The government is united," al-Zebari said. "But what people would love to see is some real actions from the government -- some decisiveness -- a clear policy toward this challenge. This is what the debate is all about because unless we win this confrontation, it will encourage other hot spots in the country to flare up."

Al-Zebari also downplayed statements in the past two months by the defense and interior ministers that Baghdad has evidence proving Iran has been meddling in Iraq's internal affairs. He said has not seen evidence of Iranian involvement in the Al-Najaf crisis.

"So far we have heard, really, claims," al-Zebari said. "What I am trying to establish as a foreign minister is facts -- to be able to convey them to the Iranians or to any other country that, 'This is what you are doing and this is unacceptable. We will not tolerate it. If you don't stop it, I am going to make this public'."

He indicated the critical public statements by those ministers have made his job more difficult. As a result, he said, the cabinet has decided that only he will speak about issues that could affect Iraq's relations with its neighbors.

"Well, here is the problem. Our government is new and it hasn't been long since many of our colleagues have taken office," al-Zebari said. "When you describe a country as your 'Enemy No. 1,' you have burned all your bridges. There is no need to follow on [with] any other means to build relations, to cultivate relations, to try to influence their policy and so on."

While apparently trying to exonerate Iran of some of the harsher charges made in the recent weeks, al-Zebari was openly critical of Iraq's neighbors and many other Gulf and Arab countries. He said they have not helped Iraq's new government establish security.

The interim foreign minister also said that if other governments in the region are merely trying to "score points" by opposing the United States in Iraq, they are following a misguided policy that in the long run can create more problems in the Middle East.

Al-Zebari said Baghdad has obtained videotaped testimony of foreign terrorists who have entered Iraq from neighboring countries. But he said that the administration has had less than the desired success in publicizing such cases through the media.

For the latest news on Iraq, see RFE/RL's webpage on "The New Iraq".

Factbox: Iraq's Holy City of Al-Najaf
author biography


http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/08/b3684338-5753-4538-b6f3-6e54ae4d2ce3.html