Because You Never Asked

     Having now been in Spain for more than a week, the initial exhilaration caused by an almost unanimous popular revulsion for Bush's war, is beginning to cede ground to the realization that the covert machinations of the "Real World Order" are beginning to have its way. The blueprint for a "post Iraqi world", as laid out by the global economy mafia of multi-national industrial-media black mailers, is insidiously at work imposing its will. Perhaps the first and most important thing that can be taken from this sordid Iraqi gambit is how little the real people in the street --- or the real people elegantly speaking their consciences in what still remains of a free and independent press --- have to do with the Real World Order of ingeniously disguised, multi-layered economic interests that are the puppeteers pulling the strings of world dominance.

     If we leave aside the brilliant commentary appearing in the editorial and specialized sections of so many newspapers; if we skip over the cogent sincerity of the intellectual community of columnists, artists, philosophers, writers, scientists, educators and statesmen, buried in the innards of these publications; if we set aside the kinds of commentary quoted in the previous essay (Escape From America) and revert to the more prominent pages of the newspaper, where the "news" itself appears, we begin to see the hypocrisy of "officialdom" adjusting meekly to the "post Iraqi world". We see the governments of France and Germany trying to "mend bridges", to "have an open mind", "to be constructive", etc., etc.; we see the western alliance trying to regroup itself; we see the European Community licking its wounds and trying to heal the scars caused by the rifts in its ranks. There's been a family squabble, a difference of opinion . it's over now. Let's kiss and make up and get on with it. The war is over. What do we do with Iraq and how do we get in on it?

     In other words, this barbaric act of imperial destruction is going to be made legitimate by the Real World Order, including those who most opposed it. The emotional breach between this Real World Order of politicians and business interests, as opposed to the citizenry of real people who vehemently repudiated the war on all levels --- legally, humanely, politically --- is seen to be as deep and wide as the Grand Canyon. If anything positive can be taken from the latest Bush Oil War, it is the realization that the citizenry of the world --- the real people --- have higher moral standards, a keener sense of acceptable behavior, a more focused idea of the concepts "civilized" and "barbaric", than those who rule from the salons of government and the board rooms of the global economy. These politicians, businessmen and technocrats are now preparing the road for the normalization of what has just happened in Iraq. Whether the real people who've distinguished themselves all over the world with their massive display of opposition, will be able to withstand this propaganda onslaught from the purveyors of the Real World Order, is the fundamental question now before the human race. In the next few years, we will be able to better understand if democracy really exists, or if it is just a bit of well orchestrated theater.

     If the Real World Order of selfish, neo-liberal ambition did not exist, and the world was a righteous place where leaders strove to improve the human condition under the rule of law, the "post Iraqi world" would be responding to the following legal imperative: 

     "Being that Iraq is a sovereign nation officially at peace with the world and in no demonstrable way in violation of any of the laws governing international behavior, and, being that its alleged breach of its agreement to disarm itself under the auspices of the United Nations as agreed to by the international community was being peacefully resolved through the legally sanctioned inspectors operating systematically and efficiently within Iraq, and, being that such inspectors had still not found the alleged breach of agreement,

     if Iraq was severely punished for its illegal military incursion into Kuwait in 1992, the coalition of renegade forces now responsible for the illegal occupation of Iraq can only be looked upon with similar international disapproval. The unprovoked military action taken by the United States and its allies is in violation of international law, with the ensuing inference that the death and destruction caused by such is a criminal act. Those leaders of the renegade forces responsible for the illegal bellicose actions should now be considered criminal fugitives who, if captured, should be delivered to the proper organisms of criminal justice for trial. Likewise,

     any of the Iraqi people now being held against their will by the renegade nations now occupying their country, should immediately be given their freedom, as they cannot be shown to be in violation of any international law and we cannot even imagine what accusations are being given to justify the deprivation of their liberty, other than the defense of their homes and belongings from an illegal military incursion."

     But, since the Real World Order does not recognize the rule of law and only seems to respond to factors dictated by a cynically dubbed "free market" of global economy business interests, we have a "post Iraqi world" seeking to "mend bridges", to be "open and objective" on the future of Iraq, while the criminals not only go free, but become the judges.