Remember Iraq
A war justified with lies. Hundreds of thousands dead, a country in ruins. And war criminals that run free.
I remember it vividly.
I was ten years old and just getting ready for school, eating breakfast most likely. The TV was on and I saw images that shook me to the core. Artillery fire, explosions, and the destruction of an entire city. People crying, fleeing, dying; others waving flags with stars and stripes on them, celebrating — celebrating what, exactly? I remember thinking, “Huh, so that’s what the beginning of a war looks like.” I had been a refugee of the Yugoslav wars myself, of course, but I had been just a baby back then. This time, it felt more real:
At school that day, the new war occupied a prominent place. Not among us students — we were too young to realize what was happening, really — but among the teachers. Our history teacher dedicated the entire lesson to talking about it. She tried to ameliorate our fears (“What if the war spreads to us here in Austria, Frau Professor?”). She also tried to explain:
Why is the war happening? — Well, children, Iraq has dangerous weapons and they could use them anytime. The Americans are trying to stop them.
But aren’t innocent people dying, too? — Yes, of course. It’s sad but it can’t be helped, unfortunately. There will always be innocent victims, it’s just war. When the war is over, it will be better for the Iraqis.
And so on. You get the basic idea.
As ten-year-olds, we weren’t equipped for critical thinking so, naturally, we swallowed the teacher’s truths and did not think much about them. We donated money and clothes to various charity organizations that would (supposedly) help the Iraqi people and left it at that. Our consciences were clean and the world moved on. I was more focused on my bodily developments.
He said "Son, have you seen the world?
Well, what would you say if I said that you could?
"Just carry this gun, you'll even get paid"
I said "That sounds pretty good"
Rise Against, Hero of War
Reality, however, is often much more complex than official narratives, and the Iraq War was no exception. Let us examine the official Western storyline from back in 2003 and compare it to what actually happened. Keep in mind, that I am by no means a military or history expert. I just did my research, read a lot of stuff, and examined different sources — in short, I applied critical thinking. The following are not the ramblings of an angry Leftist (a little bit, perhaps), but facts confirmed by the same liberal-conservative sources that always seem so eager on marching into wars.
Lies, propaganda, death, oil, and yet the Eagle soars
Today, the US-led invasion of Iraq is confirmed to have violated international law. It was a war for oil and power; a war for corporations and the military industry. Its perpetrators — George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Tony Blair, members of congress, generals, ‘military experts,’ and corporate leaders — run free to this day. No charges have ever been brought forth by the Western-centric International Criminal Court, no reparations have been paid, and no apologies made.
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What follows is a list of alleged facts the US-led coalition told the world to justify the illegal invasion of Iraq. They turned out to be blatant lies and led to the murder of hundreds of thousands of people (upper estimates put the number of victims at more than 1.2 million1) and the lasting devastation of an entire nation.
Iraq and Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
Fact: The Bush administration used this claim as a primary justification for the war. However, after the invasion, no WMDs were found. The US-led Iraq Survey Group conducted a comprehensive search but came up with nothing. It was later revealed that intelligence reports claiming their existence were based on faulty information and/or fabricated evidence.2
Iraq had ties to Al-Qaeda and was involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Fact: The 9/11 Commission itself found no evidence of any collaboration between Saddam Hussein's regime and Al-Qaeda.3 In fact, Osama bin Laden viewed Saddam Hussein as an 'infidel' and a threat to his own goals. There was no evidence of any Iraqi involvement in the 9/11 attacks.
The Iraqi people would welcome the US-led invasion as liberators.
Fact: Bush claimed that the US invasion would be welcomed by the Iraqi people as liberation from Saddam Hussein's regime of terror. However, in reality, the vast majority of Iraqis opposed the invasion.4 The US-led coalition forces were viewed as occupiers, and the invasion led to an increase in anti-American sentiment in the entire region and beyond. The claim itself appears to me an extraordinary piece of propaganda and an insult and belittlement of the people of Iraq.
The war would be quick and easy, and the US would be out of Iraq in a matter of weeks or months.
Fact: The war turned out to be long and costly, with (officially) more than 4,600 US military personnel alone losing their lives and over 30,000 being injured. British and Iraqi security forces on the coalition’s side suffered heavy losses as well, with the total coming up to around 25,000 dead on the invaders’ side.5 The war lasted from 2003 to 2011, with Western forces remaining in Iraq for eight years. It was beyond messy.
The US military had a well-planned strategy for post-war reconstruction and stabilization.
Fact: The US-led coalition was ill-prepared for post-war reconstruction efforts. The lack of planning and coordination led to chaos and violence, which further destabilized the region. Iraq was left with nothing, stripped of resources and vital infrastructure.6 This likely led to far more deaths than the invasion itself.
The war would pay for itself with Iraqi oil revenues.
Fact: The cost of the invasion was estimated to be over $2 trillion.7 Almost all of it was paid by the American people (around $8,000 per person). Profits and oil extraction contracts went to the miliary-industrial complex and (through lobbying, i.e. legal corruption) politicians.
US troops would not engage in torture or other human rights abuses.
Fact: There were numerous reports of torture and human rights abuses by US military personnel. The Abu Ghraib prison scandal in 2004 in particular highlighted the extent of cruelty committed by US troops.8 I will spare you the pictures, you can easily find them yourself. Imagine laughing soldiers among piles of massacred naked bodies, heaped into humiliating positions, often to simulate sexual acts.
The US-led coalition would bring democracy and stability to the region.
Fact: The US government presented the Iraq War as a way to spread democracy and stability throughout the Middle East. However, this did not happen. The war destabilized the region, leading to sectarian violence, the rise of extremist groups, and a power vacuum that allowed Iran to increase its influence in the region. Iraq itself has been plagued by political turmoil, corruption, and violence since the US-led invasion in 2003. In almost every aspect imaginable, Iraq and the entire region are worse off than pre-2003.
The war was necessary to protect US national security interests.
Fact: The war did not make the US any safer. Instead, it led to an increase in anti-American sentiment in the region and created a breeding ground for terrorist organizations, allowing extremist groups like ISIS to flourish.
The US had the support of the international community for the invasion.
Fact: Despite the US government's claims, the Iraq War was controversial and not supported by most countries (including my home country of Austria which, however, as always, officially remained neutral — meaning useless). The United Nations Security Council did not authorize the invasion, and several major powers opposed it, including France, Germany, Russia, and China.9 Demonstrations against the war erupted across the globe, including in the US and the UK.10 The lack of international support made the US-led occupation of Iraq more difficult and costly, as it had to bear most of the burden of the conflict without significant contributions from other countries (except its loyal lapdog, the UK).
Endless wars and class struggle
The illegal and inhuman invasion of Iraq is not some curiosity from the distant past; it happened just twenty years ago and its effects still ripple through the geopolitical landscape. Rationally, it must be considered one of the greatest atrocities in modern times, and yet, despite all evidence, the dominant Western sphere has not allowed it to enter the history books as such.
In Germany (and partly here in Austria), the Nazi past and its significance have been matters of public discourse for decades now. How can we deal with the past? What can we learn from it? How can we acknowledge our guilt and compliance while moving toward a better future at the same time? And while none of it is perfect, there is at least the attempt to deal with reality without closing off and obstructing it; without belittling and playing down its significance. There is no such attempt in the US, nor will there be.
The US national identity relies heavily on the sacredness of its political elite. Acknowledging atrocities, genocides, crimes against humanity, and economically motivated military interventions and coups (there have been dozens of those in the 20th century alone) cannot be part of this self-conception. The US empire has been in decline for a time now, and much like every empire before it, relies heavily on the artificial creation of external enemies (China will serve magnificently in the coming years) to sustain its ruling class for as long as possible.
Ultimately, the Iraq War, like every war, can only be accurately interpreted through Marxist class analysis. It was a successful attempt from the ruling class to consolidate power, spread propaganda, drive division among the working class, exploit and appropriate, and funnel resources upward (the public’s taxes finance the war effort, which in turn lands on the balance sheets of corrupt and bloated military-industrial corporations and their shareholders and entourages).
While there have been demonstrations and protests against the Iraq War, there had been no coordinated effort to stop it and bring those responsible to justice. There still isn’t. Again and again, repeated throughout history and never learned from, struggling elites drive people into useless wars. And they never bear the consequences. The first to die has always been the working woman and man. This will continue until we put a stop to it. Until capitalism and its close ally, fascism, are no more.
No war but class war.
A hero of war
Is that what they see
Just medals and scars
So damn proud of me
And I brought home that flag
Now it gathers dust
But it's a flag that I love
It's the only flag I trustHe said, "Son, have you seen the world?
Well what would you say, if I said that you could?"
Rise Against, Hero of War
I’m author, writer, and activist Antonio Melonio, the creator of Beneath the Pavement. If you enjoyed this piece, please consider becoming a paid subscriber here on Substack or over on Patreon. It’s the best way to support Beneath the Pavement and help me put out more and higher-quality content.
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ORB survey of Iraq War casualties - ORB Opinion Base Research | web.archive.org
9/11 Commission Questions Iraq Connection - PBS NewsHour
US Taxpayers Have Spent Over $2 Trillion for the Iraq War, Report Says - businessinsider.com
Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse - Wikipedia
Iraq war was illegal and breached UN charter, says Annan - The Guardian
Global protests against Iraq war – in pictures - The Guardian
Thank you Antonio🙏