September 21, 2005

To: Website Readers
From: Patricia Koyce Wanniski
Re: Jude's Final Thoughts on Iraq

When Jude died on August 29, he was at his office desk, working on this memo on Iraq. I know Jude would have been appalled at the recent Al-Qaeda bombings, and the rising toll in American and Iraqi lives, military and civilian, over the last few weeks. It is with this in mind that I offer a last look at the questions Jude was posing to one of his key sources, Dr. Mohammed Al-Obaidi, about the Iraqi elections, and to Joost Hiltermann, one of his key sparring partners on the opposing side, about mass graves. Ever the reporter, Jude was tireless and passionate about finding out what was happening in Iraq. Note that he writes to Mr. Hiltermann that "If the bodies had been found, I would be…encouraging the trial and execution of Saddam as a mass murderer." This last flexibility demonstrates that indeed Jude had no direct political agenda but was merely concerned with finding the truth. I've never been prouder of my husband.

Q. Can you give me your best explanation of how the National Assembly is a puppet government" when the American people had been told it was a fair election process. I recall at one point you and your Freedom Party was preparing to be involved in the process.... but that did not happen. My recollection is that the hole process was "rigged" by the U.S. in conjunction with the Iraqis who had supported the Iranians in the war. I'm getting e-mails from people who insist the National Assembly fairly represents the will of the Iraqi people. I even wonder if the Kurdish people as a whole are happy with being led by Barzani and Talibani, who were on Tehran's side in the war. What do you think? Jude

A. Dear Jude, Most Iraqis now admit that the election in which some of them participated and by which this assembly was formulated, was nothing but a mess, particularly when the figures later showed that only 38% of the Iraqis participated in that election, and not as announced by the occupation forces.

The reason why most Iraqis did not participate in that election is because their belief that it was a violation of all international laws. International charters that regulate the relationship between occupiers and occupied do not give occupying authorities the mandate to instigate a change in the country's social, economic and political structure.

As anticipated, the election suited only the interests of the occupiers. The changes that followed the election also, as expected, lead to ethnic, sectarian and religious divisions that the Iraqi state and people had succeeded to avoid for generations. Historically, Iraqis have been able to coexist and the spectre of civil war did not loom until the country was stricken by the US-led occupation.

As I said before, the election results have been decided already, and most Iraqis believe the electoral process was not free and democratic but was exclusively for those who maintain strong ties with the US occupation authorities, and all steps have been taken to secure full US domination of decision-makers in Iraq.

A closer look at the current assembly reveals that the dominant people in it are some of the country's most notorious politicians who have constantly spoken proudly of their links to international intelligence agencies; politician who has assisted the invaders and collaborated with them to consolidate the occupation. Therefore, I believe that the decision-making process has been taken in the US embassy in Baghdad and the puppet government is no more than a vehicle to carry out Washington's decisions.

As I also mentioned in my piece in Al-Jazeera, it is very difficult for any sensible person to believe that the US would give up its domination of Iraq after spending billions of dollars and sacrificing the lives of hundreds of its soldiers. Therefore, no sensible person believes that after all this the US would simply allow the formation of a government which could make it its first priority to tell foreign troops to get out.

So, where is the transparency in such a government or national assembly?

As for the Kurds, I strongly advise you not to believe what you hear. The majority of the Kurds, of whom I met many here in the UK, hate Barzani and Talabi, whose parties are ruling the Kurdish areas in a worse dictatorship ways than Saddam did.

You probably heard that British government is about to deport about 7000 Kurds back to Kurdistan. Those people don't want to go, simply because the worse is awaiting for them there. This is just an example.

Hope that I have given you sensible explanation.
Regards, Mohammed

Q. Thank you again, Mohammed. This is excellent. I do recall that even some of those who voted did so in the belief that they would lose their food cards if they did not. And also that the slates were arranged so those at the top of the slates, like Chalabi, Barzani and Talibani, were guaranteed election. I've also heard that there were large amounts of US currency that were used, and now unaccounted for, to produce the results that the US
embassy in Baghdad desired. Can you comment, one way or another? Jude

A. Hi Jude
If you want to hear some real stories about the election, then read this:

1. Everyone recall that Sistani himself issued a Fatwa (religious decree) asking all Shiites to participate in the election, and those who do not participate will enter the hell in the hereafter !!!!! Imagine, simple illiterate Iraqis reactions!!!
2. Families were threatened losing their ration cards if they don’t participate.
3. Hundreds of thousands Iranians entered Iraq before the election and issued with Iraqi IDs to allow them take part in the election.
4. Stalls were erected openly in every part of Iraq selling forged IDs to Iranians for a price that reached US$300; all paid for by Al-Hakim and Al-Ja’afari parties.
5. It was noted by several tribes and opposition parties that Iran paid several millions of US$ to families in order to take part in the election in favour of those backed by them.
6. Even in Kirkuk, hundreds of thousands of Kurds were brought from outside Kirkuk to vote, and large numbers have even voted twice in order to change the results in favour of the Kurds.
7. Now, in Najaf, Kerbala and Kadimiyyah (holy places for the Shiites), you hear Persian more than Arabic. In fact, even the Iranian currency, Tuman, is accepted by any shopkeeper.
8. In addition to the above, my youngest sister who was a school teacher during Saddam’s regime left her job because her salary at that time was not even enough to cover her transportation expenses between her home and her school. She decided several months to go back to teaching. She applied for a teaching position, and was rejected, unless she brings a recommendation from Al-Da’awa party (Al-Ja’aferi party) or be a member of that party.