Israel The Real
Winner
By Mohamed Elmasry
06 August, 2004
Media Monitors Network
It
is sad but true: war with its destruction, death, human misery and traumatic
aftereffects, benefits many people -- politically, economically, or
both.
If we rank those
countries which have benefited most, and are still benefiting, from
the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq, Israel heads the list.
While it is certainly not alone in profiting from this conflict, it
has reaped by far the greatest advantages of any other nation, both
politically and economically. Here are the top ten.
1). By successfully
turning the U.S. into an occupation force in the Arab world, Israel
has effectively disqualified Washington from exerting any meaningful
political persuasion on its own policies of occupation in Gaza and the
West Bank. How can the U.S. urge Israel to free Palestinians from a
brutal occupation, when the American presence in Iraq has become synonymous
not with liberation, but with oppression?
In Iraq, America's
track record of torture, concentration camps, civilian detentions, killing
of innocent citizens (even guests at a wedding), the siege of Iraqi
cities, and the over-use of sophisticated killing machines in lieu of
diplomacy, renders any criticism about Israel's treatment of Palestinians
wholly hypocritical.
How can Washington
now proclaim to Israeli leaders, What you are doing to the Palestinians
is wrong"? Ironically, the American siege of the Iraqi city of
Falluja in 2004 has served to evoke nostalgia over the Jewish state's
siege of another Falluja -- the Palestinian city -- in 1949.
In reality, the
U.S. and Israel now share membership in the same elite and notorious
club, that of occupiers of Arab countries -- theirs has become a comradeship
as never before.
2). Until the day
when America invaded, Iraq had shown legitimate potential to become
a major regional power in the Middle East. It had what it takes: natural
resources, an educated population, and a national will.
But now Iraq is
in turmoil, and will be so for a very long time. Its resources have
been plundered by its latest occupiers, with the help of supporters
from within and beyond its borders. Today, its once highly educated
population is dwindling, the result of a mysterious campaign of assassinations;
its national will is broken, fragmented, and divided. The people no
longer have any focus and cannot agree even on how to liberate their
country. It is now America who determines Iraqs enemies; and you
can be sure Israel will not be on that list.
3). Despite denials
by Iraqi officials, their country has become an accessible operational
theatre for the Israeli military, including the MOSAD. And who can stop
them? Not the Americans, and certainly not the Iraqis. It's no wonder
that reports are emerging of Israelis training U.S. occupation forces
in urban warfare tactics.
4). Throughout the
Arab world, governments, the media, and the general public are now dividing
their attention between the atrocities of the Israelis upon Palestinians
and those of the Americans upon Iraqis. After 37 years of Israeli occupation,
the frustration on the Arab street over the oppression of Palestine
is only too evident. And the meagre efforts expended by neighbouring
Arab states toward solving the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and
Gaza are further weakened with yet another Arab land occupied.
5). To the delight
of the Jewish state and its propaganda artists, Iraqis have now graduated
in both the American media and Washington rhetoric, from rebels
and "insurgents" to full-blown terrorists. To
many Americans, Iraqis are little more than troublesome subhumans, often
considered better dead than alive. This is exactly how the Sharon government
brands all Palestinians. It makes a perfect parallel.
6). The continuing
occupation of Iraq is further radicalizing the Middle East against the
U.S., presenting another political advantage to Israel as its ally and
dependent. No matter how hated the U.S. becomes, the big losers in this
political, military and propaganda battle are the Arab and the Muslim
worlds.
7). The U.S. occupation
of Iraq is steadily shifting Washington further to the right, with neo-conservatives
and American Jewish groups now providing the dominant political backdrop.
Even if John Kerry wins the upcoming presidential election, today's
Democrats are far to the right of their position of only a few years
ago.
8). Occupied Iraq
is becoming a killing field for Americans as much as the occupied West
Bank and Gaza have been for the Israeli army. The mission of both military
powers is now horribly similar -- not to fight an invading army in defense
of their own country, but to oppress a people against their will, shooting
at and often destroying their homes, cars, shops, or schools, and killing
men, women and children because they got caught in the cross-fire.
Each is quick to blame the victims.
9). In these post-Iraq
invasion times, America's war on Islamist terrorism now
has a new meaning. Afghanistan is no longer the main target, because
they cannot pay for Americans occupying their country; instead, Iraq
has become the perfect theatre for the war on Islamist terrorism
-- a war created by Americans, defined by Americans, and fought by Americans.
The National Commission
on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, establishing a linkage
between Iraq, Israel and terrorism, states: Neither Israel nor
the new Iraq will be safer if worldwide Islamist terrorism grows stronger.
10). Israel is not
only profiting economically right now from the U.S. occupation of Iraq,
but stands to gain even more in the future. It is currently supplying
the Iraqi market through Jordan, while Iraqi oil is flowing to Israel,
or soon will be. A more formal commercial relationship, like that which
already functions between Israel and Qatar, is on the horizon.
And after all is
said and done, the real costs of this destabilizing invasion will be
borne by the Iraqis, the Saudis, and other Gulf countries -- further
weakening their economies.
In summary, Israel
indeed has much to celebrate, both politically and economically, as
a direct result of the U.S. occupation of Iraq. It's no wonder that
the only country in which the majority of the population supported this
war was Israel. And to no one's surprise, those same Israeli supporters
in Washington and in the American media encouraged and vigorously defended
the American war on Iraq; and continue to do so in favour of the occupation.
One can't help but
feel for the poor Iraqis. War has created a better world for some, but
not for them.