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| April 30, 2004 |
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World Media Watch by Gloria R. Lalumia BUZZFLASH NOTE: WMW provides BuzzFlash readers foreign views and perspectives that are not usually available from the media here in the U.S. The presentation of these articles from these international publications is not an endorsement of their viewpoints. * * * WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR APRIL 30, 2004 1//The Daily Star, Lebanon--CHALABI'S STAR FALLS AS US SEEKS SCAPEGOAT FOR POST-WAR PROBLEMS (...To some extent at least, Chalabi represents pre-war attitudes in Washington; simple certainties about weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), Saddam Hussein's links to Al-Qaeda, and the prospects for a stable, democratic, pro-American and pro-Israeli Iraq emerging soon after a US invasion. Brahimi's rise reflects a deepening recognition of more complex realities and greater challenges; a growing sense that the United States must deal with existing circumstances in Iraqi rather than attempting to quickly reshape the country in its own image...Some continue to argue that if only more weight and support had been thrown behind Chalabi, the United States might have avoided many of the travails it now faces in Iraq. This was among the thrusts of a gloomy internal Coalition Provisional Authority memo recently exposed by investigative reporter Jason Vest, who told The Daily Star: "The support shown to Chalabi in the memo sums up the self-deluding quality of those determined to press on with the original administration agenda in the face of clear and recognized evidence of its folly.") 2//Inter Press Service News Agency, Italy--COMPANIES NEGOTIATE REMOTE PROFITS (- As violence rocked Iraq in Fallujah and Najaf, major international companies gathered in London this week to figure ways of doing business in Iraq without getting their hands burnt. The magic formula was offered at a three-day Iraqi procurement conference held at Hilton hotel in central London from Monday to Wednesday this week...The signal was to set up joint ventures with the visiting Iraqi delegates or to appoint them as local managers for enterprises controlled from the outside by the Western multinationals...For three days it was virtually the whole of the appointed Iraqi government that had come to London. The event itself became an illustration that Western business executives do not need personally to go to Iraq.) 3//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--INDIAN SOLDIERS LURED BY DOLLARS (The first reports about the happening appeared in January. Now it is a phenomenon that has spread across the country, involving possibly thousands of people. In a very discreet operation, US and British security sub-contractors are seeking out Indian ex-servicemen known for their professionalism and discipline for deployment in Iraq...In June last year, the Indian government turned down a US request to send an Indian peacekeeping force to Iraq...The first indication of the transfer of Indian personnel to Iraq was from the south Indian state of Kerala, which is the hub of Indians heading for the Middle East in general as engineers, construction workers and other skilled jobs. The entire process was done without the knowledge of the central government in Delhi, or bodies responsible for the welfare of ex-servicemen.) 4/Gulf News Online, United Arab Emirates--OPINION:
PAKISTAN SHOULD TRANSFORM TRIBAL AREAS INTO ECONOMIC
ZONES (This week's unexpected truce between the
government of General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's
military ruler, and tribal leaders from a remote
region bordering Afghanistan, has raised many unanswered
questions, notwithstanding the official claims
of success...On the one hand, its clear that though
the military repeatedly claimed that it was prepared
to escalate pressure to wipe out militants from
the border region, in the end the generals adopted
reconciliation. This makes it clear that a military
campaign pursued so fondly could not deliver the
end result...Following the weekend truce, the Pakistani
government, at best, has only won space for itself
to devise a new strategy.) * * * 1//The
Daily Star, Lebanon Friday, April 30, 2004 CHALABI'S STAR FALLS AS US SEEKS SCAPEGOAT FOR
POST-WAR PROBLEMS By Hussein Ibish WASHINGTON: Before the war, no Arab was more influential on US policy toward Iraq than Ahmed Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress and a favorite of the hawkish neoconservative faction in and around the Bush administration. Now Washington is placing its complete confidence in Lakhdar Brahimi, the veteran Algerian diplomat and UN special envoy to Iraq. The two have been engaged in an open spat that reveals much about the evolving US strategy in Iraq, and about power struggles within the Bush administration. As Brahimi has been slowly unveiling aspects of his plan for an Iraqi transitional authority to be installed on June 30, it has become increasingly clear that there will be a concerted attempt to exclude some figures - especially Chalabi - who serve on the Iraqi Governing Council which is to be disbanded. Chalabi has responded by dismissing Brahimi as "an Algerian with an Arab nationalist agenda" and "a controversial ... not a unifying figure." Though Chalabi still has supporters in the administration - some in the Pentagon and vice-president's office are said to continue to advocate a major role for him - his falling star indicates a clear deterioration in the influence of neoconservative thinking on Iraq. To some extent at least, Chalabi represents pre-war attitudes in Washington; simple certainties about weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), Saddam Hussein's links to Al-Qaeda, and the prospects for a stable, democratic, pro-American and pro-Israeli Iraq emerging soon after a US invasion. Brahimi's rise reflects a deepening recognition of more complex realities and greater challenges; a growing sense that the United States must deal with existing circumstances in Iraqi rather than attempting to quickly reshape the country in its own image. These changes indicate the strengthening of State Department and CIA attitudes toward Iraq, which always viewed Chalabi with skepticism and advocated a greater role for multilateral institutions and regional figures. Andrew Cockburn, a journalist who has written extensively on Iraq, told The Daily Star: "Chalabi is a victim of the shift in power in Washington, and the complete collapse of the American agenda in Iraq - the other example being the ascendancy of Brahimi." (SNIP) Some continue to argue that if only more weight and support had been thrown behind Chalabi, the United States might have avoided many of the travails it now faces in Iraq. This was among the thrusts of a gloomy internal Coalition Provisional Authority memo recently exposed by investigative reporter Jason Vest, who told The Daily Star: "The support shown to Chalabi in the memo sums up the self-deluding quality of those determined to press on with the original administration agenda in the face of clear and recognized evidence of its folly." Even given the obvious shifts indicated in the move away from Chalabi and toward Brahimi, Washington still seems to be looking for the panacea for the ills of Iraq to come from an individual Arab, and is still hoping to discover the formula for a rapid - almost magical - transformation of that society. (MORE)
COMPANIES NEGOTIATE REMOTE PROFITS The magic formula was offered at a three-day Iraqi procurement conference held at Hilton hotel in central London from Monday to Wednesday this week. "Across all the main industry sectors there exists an excellent opportunity to do business in Iraq without having to visit the country," the website for the conference promised in its invitation to companies. The promise worked at least for purposes of the conference, organised by the British PR firm Windrush Communications in partnership with The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce. The main sponsor for the conference was the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. The violence and unrest within Iraq seemed not to have deterred investors. Participation was limited to 300 companies, and was sold out a month ago. Participating companies included Raytheon, the U.S. manufacturer of smart bombs, many of which were dropped on Iraq, and at least some of which went lethally astray. Other companies included the oil companies Shell, ChevronTexaco and ExxonMobil, and from the pharmaceuticals firm Pfizer to the Swedish car and truck manufacturer Volvo. "The conference is a carve-up of Iraq's assets, minerals and wealth," Ghada Razuki from Stop the War Coalition told IPS. "The Stop the War Coalition has said all along that one of the reasons for going to war was so that big business, mainly in the United States could profit from Iraq's wealth." (SNIP) But the weight of the conference was clear from the presence of former U.S. Rear Admiral David Nash who is leading the programme for the awarding contracts worth 18.6 billion dollars up to the handover of some power from the CPA to a new Iraqi government due June 30. Brian Wilson, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's special adviser on trade and investment addressed the conference. Wilson dropped broad hints about the virtues of doing business remotely. "The Foreign Office's travel advice for Iraq is clear," he told the conference, according to an officially released statement. "It recommends that even the most essential travel to Iraq should be delayed, if possible." But he added that "throughout these difficult security problems we cannot lose sight of the longer-term objective of helping Iraqis to rebuild the infrastructure and their economy. So it is all the more important that you use this event to build relationships and sow the seeds of a long-term commitment to Iraq and its people." The signal was to set up joint ventures with the visiting Iraqi delegates or to appoint them as local managers for enterprises controlled from the outside by the Western multinationals. A large delegation of Iraqi businessmen and members of the U.S. appointed governing council and cabinet attended the conference to pick up lucrative offers. Most of the Iraqis were invited to London with their families in order to promote strong personal ties within a short period. The Iraqi delegates included Judge Wael Abdulatif, governor of Basra, Dr Barham Salih, prime minister of the Kurdistan regional government, ministers for agriculture, communication, housing and construction, health, industry and water resources. Dr Sinan Ridha al-Shabibi, governor of the Central Bank of Iraq accompanied the team. For three days it was virtually the whole of the appointed Iraqi government that had come to London. The event itself became an illustration that Western business executives do not need personally to go to Iraq. (MORE)
INDIAN SOLDIERS LURED BY DOLLARS NEW DELHI - The first reports about the happening appeared in January. Now it is a phenomenon that has spread across the country, involving possibly thousands of people. In a very discreet operation, US and British security sub-contractors are seeking out Indian ex-servicemen known for their professionalism and discipline for deployment in Iraq. Moves by the coalition forces to outsource security are a result of the alarming increase in casualties, with indications of the war dragging on for some time. Further, there is a less likelihood of an attack on an Indian, who mingles easily with the general population, and who is also generally considered friendly by Iraqis. For the retired lowly paid Indian soldier, the money being doled out is attractive and difficult to refuse. Needless to say, the Indian personnel work under the direct command of United States and British forces. Most are deployed to perform security duties, such as guarding key installations like oil wells, refineries, food convoys and ports, as well as normal day-to-day duties around military camps. Though there is no involvement in direct combat, the situation in Iraq is fraught with risk, with some reports indicating that a few Indians might already have been injured. In June last year, the Indian government turned down a US request to send an Indian peacekeeping force to Iraq. In a statement the Ministry of External Affairs said: "The government of India has given careful thought to the question of sending troops to Iraq. Were there to be an explicit UN mandate, the government would consider the deployment of troops to Iraq." The stand of the Indian government has remained the same since, having resisted all pressure from the US. The first indication of the transfer of Indian personnel to Iraq was from the south Indian state of Kerala, which is the hub of Indians heading for the Middle East in general as engineers, construction workers and other skilled jobs. The reports said that around 500 ex-servicemen, who had served in various fighting units of the Indian Army (artillery, infantry armored core), had been recruited from the central districts of Kerala for deployment in Iraq. The contingent was termed as the first-ever "Indian regiment" to work as a mercenary force for the US, with the recruitment done by a Kuwaiti company working for the US Army. The entire process was done without the knowledge of the central government in Delhi, or bodies responsible for the welfare of ex-servicemen. What followed was a series of similar details emerging from the north Indian states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, where the maximum numbers of retired soldiers reside. These ex-servicemen are approached by Indian private security agencies which front for the sub-contractors appointed by the US and British forces in Iraq. (MORE)
OPINION: PAKISTAN SHOULD TRANSFORM TRIBAL AREAS
INTO ECONOMIC ZONES Farhan Bokhari is a Pakistan-based commentator who writes on political and economic matters. This week's unexpected truce between the government of General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's military ruler, and tribal leaders from a remote region bordering Afghanistan, has raised many unanswered questions, notwithstanding the official claims of success. For the regime in Islamabad, the ceremony, which saw up to five tribal leaders laying down their weapons and embracing the Pakistani military's top commander in the area, perhaps marks an end to months of tensions. These tensions had been triggered by the prospect of renewed fighting. Yet, the apparent end to the possibility of soldiers firing upon Pakistani civilians, albeit well-armed ones, does little to end the political quagmire facing the government. Indeed, weeks of tensions in the border region has exposed two closely related challenges. On the one hand, its clear that though the military repeatedly claimed that it was prepared to escalate pressure to wipe out militants from the border region, in the end the generals adopted reconciliation. This makes it clear that a military campaign pursued so fondly could not deliver the end result. Meanwhile, Pakistan's limitations in supporting the US-prompted war on terror have been widely exposed through the adoption, first, of armed means, followed by a conciliatory settlement. The apparent retreat from pursuing a military option to a face-saving one highlights the difficulty in blindly following Washington's call to only respond through the barrel of the gun to terrorist strife. If anything, the case of Pakistan's tribal areas highlights the danger of attacking civilian settlements in the hope of effectively curbing militancy. The end result shows that there's indeed no clear route to taking the so-called "war on terror" well inside civilian areas. Not without the resultant political fallout returning to haunt Pakistan's ruling regime. Following the weekend truce, the Pakistani government, at best, has only won space for itself to devise a new strategy. Washington is bound to continue pressing it to confront tribesmen living along the Afghan border. These tribes trace their lineages to their Afghan brethren over several decades, making it impossible for them to cut loose from ties of ethnicity, history and a common language. While the tribal leaders have embraced government representatives, there are no signs yet that their mainstream tribal followers, many of whom lament the many casualties in last month's exchange, would willingly become equally conciliatory. (MORE)
PM OUTLINES FOREIGN POLICY WITH BIG ROLE FOR LEADERS World leaders must not be afraid to bypass multilateral institutions when faced with crises, Prime Minister Paul Martin said Thursday. In a Washington speech, Mr. Martin lauded global institutions for bestowing credibility and legitimacy. But he added that these bodies aren't working well and need to be supplemented with face-to-face talks between leaders. "Leaders cannot make the bold decisions required if international fora remain focused only on ratifying the product of bureaucratic negotiations," he said. "Only political leaders can make the leap so often required to break an intellectual, emotional or historical impasse. Photo ops are no substitute for political will," he added at the Center for Global Development and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. "...We are not proposing a new bricks-and-mortar institution, but we do believe a new approach directly involving political leaders could help break a lot of logjams. I would suggest we should convene a select group of countries from North and South tackling just one issue, and see where that takes us - it could be global terrorism or global public health." The proposal suggests that Mr. Martin's thinking has edged closer to the policy of U.S. President George W. Bush, who assembled a "coalition of the willing" to invade Iraq when the United Nations balked. Mr. Martin, who will meet with Mr. Bush on Friday, warned that globalization and the information revolution have created tensions in failed and rogue states that are set to explode. If the situation in these places becomes dire, he added, the world has a responsibility to intervene and help set them on a new course. (SNIP) | ||||||
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