Without any eloquent introductions, I would like to say that the American occupation of Iraq has become very costly. And certainly the American planners are now searching for a solution, which in the light of the current regional and international situation would mean one thing: “retreat”. But a retreat here would only mean repositioning and decreasing the number of American troops. In other words, it is a tactical withdrawal of the troops to fortified bases in Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The shortage in troops will be compensated by Arab troops from Egypt, Syria, and maybe Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and even Yemen. This means that Arabs will pay the human and material costs of the American occupation of Iraq. Yet, the question remains: why would Arab rulers agree to pay such a huge price? The well known answer remains in securing power as is the case of Yemen, Egypt and Syria. Lots of officials may come out and talk about the benefits of sending Arab forces to Iraq, starting with getting the Americans out of the country, which is a false claim, and the so called “economic welfare” like the one we were promised after the Camp David peace accords in the 1970’s. I believe that no one will buy it this time, no matter how eloquent the official speakers are, and no matter what their promises may be. How can anyone convince the Arab people that the best solution for Iraq is for the Americans to retreat to safe basis and leave Yemenis, Egyptians, Jordanians and Syrians, while Saudi Arabia funds it all? The Arab regimes’ only concern become the safe succession of power to their sons, which is a disaster. this disaster will exterminate us all, unless the Arab people start to mobilize. The most important mobilization of all, is that of the Egyptian people because it is the Egyptian soldiers who will be performing most of the “dirty work” in Iraq. Will someone listen? I hope so Abdul Rahman Yusuf
Translated by Dr. Iman Salama
