Thursday 5 September 2002

The real goal is the seizure of Saudi oil

She may be a bit "abrasive" sometimes but I think Mo Mowlam is great. So what if she tells Tony and his cronies to go and fuck themselves (literally I've heard!) she has integrity and courage which are qualities sadly lacking in most of the government. She's no angel and I don't always agree with her, but I respect her opinions.

Iraq is no threat. Bush wants war to keep US control of the region
Mo Mowlam, The Guardian

I keep listening to the words coming from the Bush administration about Iraq and I become increasingly alarmed. There seems to be such confusion, but through it all a grim determination that they are, at some point, going to launch a military attack. The response of the British government seems equally confused, but I just hope that the determination to ultimately attack Iraq does not form the bedrock of their policy. It is hard now to see how George Bush can withdraw his bellicose words and also save face, but I hope that that is possible. Otherwise I fear greatly for the Middle East, but also for the rest of the world.

What is most chilling is that the hawks in the Bush administration must know the risks involved. They must be aware of the anti-American feeling throughout the Middle East. They must be aware of the fear in Egypt and Saudi Arabia that a war against Iraq could unleash revolutions, disposing of pro-western governments, and replacing them with populist anti-American Islamist fundamentalist regimes. We should all remember the Islamist revolution in Iran. The Shah was backed by the Americans, but he couldn't stand against the will of the people. And it is because I am sure that they fully understand the consequences of their actions, that I am most afraid. I am drawn to the conclusion that they must want to create such mayhem.

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