A New Beginning, Again

A holy light dawned briefly in the terror-blackened, oil-producing fledgling democracy of Iraq today as the Vicar of Downing Street took his grin to Baghdad to indicate that the newly elected democratic government, Iraq's latest fresh start and its first democratic government in quite a while, is in no danger of being unseated by the forces of depleted humanitarianism. His reverence referred to something called an "Iraqi-isation strategy", under which he and his chums have "had the perspective of building up the Iraqi security force capability", presumably so that the personnel at the permanent bases which the Americans are busy constructing can go about their business in peace.

Now that the latest sovereign Iraqi government has been elected, his reverence proceeded to inform the natives what he wanted from them. "There is no vestige of excuse for people to carry on terrorism or bloodshed", since from now on the Iraqi people are to "write the next chapter of Iraqi history" according to the dictation of their benevolent masters.

His reverence noted that "as they [the native regiments] build up, we are able to draw down" our own presence. "That is what was envisaged in the UN resolution under which our forces are here" - specifically Security Council Figleaf 1546, which recognised a written request by the well-known Iraqi patriot and freedom fighter, Ayad Allawi, "to retain the presence of the multinational force" (viz. the invaders). That force, it was noted with apparently straight faces all around, was committed to "act in accordance with international law, including obligations under international humanitarian law, and to cooperate with relevant international organizations", as the United States and its allies have so often been prone to do. The resolution also affirmed "the importance of international assistance in reconstruction and development of the Iraqi economy"; but it must be remembered that this was in 2004, when some American corporations still thought there might be profit in such ventures.

Apparently there is still hope. His reverence wishes to "offer technical help in setting up the fledgling administration", so it seems there is room for private enterprise after all. Let us hope the fledgling administration is permitted to grow and flourish as Tony wishes - presumably into something with lots of anti-terror laws and not too many trains running on time, with a selectively non-selective education system that teaches Iraqis not to keep asking us to apologise for the past.