Mark Phillips: The American Question
5/1/03: Their mass graves and ours.
The
massacre
of unarmed demonstrators in Fallujah two days ago is the beginning of the end for
the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
No American
narrative
of democracy, or of liberation, or of rule of law
will ever again resonate for the people of Iraq. Forever after this moment, Americans
are those who shoot the people down as they gather in peaceful protest.
In coming weeks and months Americans and other foreigners will be killed in increasing
numbers as a nationwide Iraqi resistance forms and gains experience. The American
government's
narrative will be that these fighters are street criminals and Saddam
loyalists. The reality, which everyone in Iraq will understand, is that they
are the Iraqi people exercising their democratic right to freedom from foreign
oppression.
As in Vietnam, the American government's narrative will be that technological and
industrial superiority guarantees victory. Setbacks will be episodic;
the trend will be toward victory if only we stay the course. There'll be light at the
end of the tunnel, although we may have to destroy the country to save it.
Opinion polls will show Iraqi support for the occupiers, and
the barbers and taxi drivers and puppet governors who are employed by the occupation will be
trotted out to give grateful interviews for the benefit of the American TV-watching
public. Many, many people will die.
In the end the American government will be forced to abandon Iraq to the Iraqis, as
they abandoned Vietnam to the Vietnamese. In the process of struggle a new Iraq may
be formed. What will it look like? I don't know. Right now I see only the graves
that are as inevitable as the sunny predictions of success by the spokespeople of a
doomed adventure.
The invasion of Iraq was justified with false narratives of threat and danger. The
occupation will be justified with false claims of democratization and progress and
the nobility of the cause.
The war is already a failure. The occupation will be a disaster. Support our troops!
Bring them home now.
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