UNCERTAINTY OVER IRAQ AND THE WORLD OVER

He is a caged lion. An old lion. Frail and ailing, notwithstanding lion he is, hence he roars. But his roars remain whimpers though.

Yes I am referring to Tariq Aziz, the close confident of late Saddam Hussein. He was his deputy and was known across the world as Foreign Minister of Iraq.

 

His glorious days came to an end in 2003, the year in which America under George W Bush and England under Tony Blair along with their ally countries launched a lethal war on Iraq, reducing it into a heap of rubble. Many heads at the helm rolled, millions perished, internal skirmishes mounted with Shia and Sunni militants attacking and bombarding each other, monuments and mosques blown up. The war in course of time lost its tempo, US, Britain and on getting tired a few allies facing the wrath of their citizens deserted midway. Though the war lost its momentum, the chain of events were quick, many who were captured imprisoned at Guantanamo bay and Abu Graib subjected to blood-chilling tortures and in the form of ‘extra-ordinary renditions’ deported number of prisoners to Western countries with the intention of subjecting them to maximum cruelty. The strong arm tactics of George W Bush condemned world over but he remained unrepentant and went on with his wicked game ignoring the wrath and protests of his own subjects. He remained a hawk throughout like his assistant, Tony Blair and though out of power still remains a hawk.

 

No Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) found as alleged by them in Iraq. Many of Iraq’s top hierarchy captured, including the then Iraqi head Saddam Hussein, Chemical Ali and Hussein’s closest confidents and after summary trial all sent to the gallows one after another.

 

Tariq Aziz captured and extradited to US and imprisoned at Guantanamo bay however escaped gallows and after sometime sent back to Iraq and imprisoned there by the American puppet Noori-Al-Maliki’s government. He was sentenced to imprisonment for 15 years and is serving his jail term. During the US war on Iraq there spread a rumour that Tariq Aziz would depose against Saddam Hussein, siding with US to escape punishment but that was not to be. He continued to stand firm and still remains steadfast claiming allegiance to his late leader Saddam Hussein.

 

Soon after coming to know about the incumbent President of US Brarack Obama beginning to withdraw his forces from Iraq leaving it in a bad shape he reportedly thundered against US President for leaving Iraq to the wolves. He continued to express his sorrow that his expectations about Barack Obama had been belied. From his words it is evident that the change of power in US power from a Republican President like George Bush to a Democrat President would usher a new era in Iraq. But that expectation has proved futile.

 

That his late former leader kept the world guessing about keeping WMDs to ward off the threat from enemy nation of Iran and actually Saddam Hussein never mulled keeping such weapons. In the meanwhile Tariq Aziz went on accusing Iran for moving ahead with the nuclear weapons building programme.

 

Tariq Aziz has nothing to lose now what he had had already lost - that glorious days in power, he is aged now, ill now and continues to languish in prison.

 

Now the man in his loneliness continues to worry about the uncertain future of his beloved nation which is still in shambles. The volatile situation still prevails in Iraq, suicide bombings resulting in deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians still continue with no end in sight.

 

Uncertainty like the sword of Democles hangs over the entire world, with nuclear weapons race gaining momentum notwithstanding opposite claims on the occasion of the 65^th anniversary of Hiroshima bombing by US. True, people everywhere are peace-loving, they always love to see a nuclear-free world barring a few fanatics and lunatics and in their pursuit for universal peace on the occasion of this anniversary, citizens across the nations lit candles, organised processions calling for peace. Imagine the possibility or probability of a nuclear weapon falling in the hand of a terror element the catastrophe that is to follow certainly beyond our comprehension.

 

Still we continue to fight for a nuclear weapon free world forgetting all our animosities.

Hence all nations keeping nuclear weapons must seriously, collectively ponder over dismantling their nuclear stockpiles once and for all. It is high time they did it.