The Iraq war
By
Naguib Mahfouz
Friends assure me that the war will take place and that it is certain Washington will invade Iraq. And this provides great cause for worry: if it is indeed true it will mean that we are about to witness events that will resonate throughout the world and not just within Iraq. It is most likely that, on so many levels, we will witness a rerun of the Afghanistan saga. And as with Afghanistan, one of the regions most affected by events will be our own.
I have a terrible vision of the reign of chaos. And those Arabs who imagine they will be at a safe distance are under a foolish and grave illusion for they will be the first to pay the price of the war. Nor is it simply a question of bloodshed: there is economic loss and the attrition on national life that comes with unstable regimes. And as soon as the real reasons behind the war are known it is likely to reveal hidden dimensions of Arab politics. One need hardly point out, in this context, that it has nothing to do with terrorism or weapons of mass destruction.
What drives the US to dedicate so many billions to the war and to once again risk the lives of so many of its soldiers relates to its attempts to secure complete control over the sources of power throughout the world. In conversation with friends I began to imagine what would happen if Saddam Hussein were to unexpectedly abdicate in an attempt to abort US plans. Even then, I suspect, Washington would most likely find another excuse to go ahead with the war. Maybe, in that case, the excuse will be concern over the stability of Iraq, its political and social future, following the end of Saddam's regime.
Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.
