Der kluge und unabhängige Kopf Hazem Saghieh greift in Al-Hayat die Regierung Al-Maliki an: Die Besatzung mag an vielem Schuld sein, doch sie hat dem Land doch immerhin die beispiellose Möglichkeit gegeben, eine freie politische Szene zu entwickeln, sowie ein Parlament zu installieren und eine Verfassung zu verabschieden.
Even if the occupation bears its share of responsibility, the political elite of Iraq bears more blame. Despite all the evils attributed to it, the occupation did after all manage to offer Iraq an unprecedented opportunity to develop a free political scene and to create both a parliament and a constitution. Something, however, seems to have gone very wrong as the current situation reveals.
The structure of the present Iraqi elite tells many tales. It is a replacement of the Baathist elite, ironically both opposite and similar to it. It did not only emerge out of religious and sectarian parties, Sunni or Shiite alike, but it also sprang out of radical experiences that never had any constitutional awareness or democratic culture. It is equally relevant that some of the prominent members of the Iraqi elite have gotten where they are today after passing through a variety of Maoist and leftist parties with a history of despising politics and its petty bourgeoisie games. Parallel to this path, they seem to have developed admiration for religious tyrannies such as the Iranian regime, or military tyrannies such as the regime in Syria.
The political leaders of Iraq are devastating their country beyond recognition and can deserve no respect for that no matter what their ethnic, religious or sectarian identities are. In that, they are no better than the Lebanese and other Arab elites that are pushing their nations to an unfortunate end.
Hazem Saghieh, Meinungsredakteur der panarabischen Tageszeitung Al-Hayat