“The
stabilisation is only an apparent one“
European
deputy André Brie on the current situation in Iraq and on the
policy of the West
A couple of
days ago, European Parliament deputy, André Brie (THE LEFT),
returned from a trip to Iraq. In conversations with the prime
minister and his ministers, with members of parliament,
representatives of non-governmental organisations and
multinational armed forces as well as in meetings with the
population, the deputy – together with other members of the
European Parliament – informed himself on the political,
economic and social situation in the country. Uwe Sattler
talked to him for ND.
ND: The Iraqi
premier Nuri al-Maliki thinks the provincial elections testify
to the new-found stability of the country. Were you able to
experience it in Iraq first-hand?
AB: I found
that the number of attacks and casualties substantially
decreased. However, I could not recognise any stability; in fact,
I saw tanks and combat helicopters – and countless walls, not
only around the “Green Zone“, but practically around every
residential district in Baghdad. Moreover, the rather well
prepared regional elections need not be equated with security.
Three candidates have been murdered, around 80 people were
injured during the electoral campaign . Moreover, there are,
following the appreciation of the EU electoral mission in Iraq,
hardly any free working conditions for journalists.
ND: In other
words, practically no improvement of the security situation?
AB: No, on the
contrary, there has been, as I said, not only a reduced number
of attacks and casualties, but also a larger freedom of movement
for Iraqi men and women. Yet it is a stabiliy that rests, first
of all, on a massive military presence, mainly by the US
Americans, as well as by the army and the Iraqi police, and
second on the results of the religious and ethnic “cleansing“
and separation. Thirdly – and this was stressed by all critical
and independent conversation partners in Iraq as well as by the
vice-commander of the multinational armed forces – all conflicts
are unresolved, and violence may break out again at any moment.
ND: Key word:
US military presence. Do you think that something will change to
that under president Obama?
AB: The policy
up to now in Iraq is also considered as successful by Obama.
That the US president should hold on to Pentagon chief Bill
Gates points to the fact that he wants to employ this strategy
also in Afghanistan. Therefore, I expect no changes in this
question, and I am convinced that the stabilisation is only
apparent and does not constitute a success.
ND: You
addressed the question of religious strife. How did the
relationship between Sunnites and Shiites develop?
AB: There is a
certain relaxation in this relationship. Among the population,
this conflict did not exist anyhow. It was carried into the
country mainly by the US. However, it continues to smoulder
massively at the political level. That shows itself at this
point in the incapacity of the Iraqi parliament to elect a new
president of the assembly – who is supposed to be a Sunnite.
Another expression of this tension is that the province of Anwar,
which was a stronghold of Sunnite uprisings, in the meantime
collaborates with the USA, but not with the central government.
ND: The Iraqi
government points to successes in reconstruction. Were you able
to see any of that?
AB: I did not
see any such successes and tend to believe that they don't exist.
A very concrete and morbid example: In parallel to our visit in
Baghdad, there raged the war in Gaza. On the streets, we
repeatedly heard people say: In Gaza, they did not have
electricity for five hours, but we haven't had any for five
years. Next to the practically absent electricity supply, there
are additional dramatic problems – unemployment is horrendous,
the misery of large parts of the population is terrible;
economic reconstruction is stagnating, investments take place
only in very few sectors and territories. However, and this as
well needs to be said, it looks different in the Kurdic North.
ND: That way,
there develops new conflict potential...
AB: I think
so, and this is also seen that way by many experts in the region.
Iraq will, due to the fallen oil price, very quickly use up its
reserves from the previous years. Already this year, there
exists the danger that wages will no longer be paid, and many
infrastructural measures will no longer be carried out. That in
the light of the general situation and social misery will
provoke additional and dangerous conflict potential.
ND: You hear
hardly anything any longer of donour conferences or
international negotiations on the future of Iraq. Did the West
in particular reconcile itself with the situation in the country?
AB: You need
not call any donour conferences. By virtue of its oil wealth,
Iraq has its own possibilities. The problem lies in the
political area. The USA tore apart Iraq by its invasion. And
even Barack Obama did not yet part with the plan to factually
divide the country up into three parts.
ND: How do you
evaluate the commitment of the EU in this context?
It's a tragedy.
Only four to five EU officials sit in the “Green Zone“. Neither
at the political, nor at the financial level will this enable
the EU to conduct an effective, visible and autonomous policy.
Translated
by Carla Krüger, February 3, 2009 as part of the Campaign
Newsletter '09
