FIGHTING DAESH AND THE MORAL HIGH GROUND: Part Two

'In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.'

George Orwell

To be political and on Twitter the day after the vote to extend air-strikes into Syria was to be greeted by a wave of hyperbole, sanctimonious finger pointing certainty, grotesque distortions and downright lies. A display of self-righteous hyperbole that would make a Free Presbyterian fire and brimstone preacher blush. You would have thought that Parliament had voted for a re-run of Dresden as the responsibility for mass slaughter was laid at the feet of MP’s who had supported the extension. This whipped up to a level that at times can only be characterized as hysteria.

 Apologies to every innocent Syrian from everyone in Britain who has brain cells left. If there was an answer, it wasn't genocide #SyriaVote— pricey (@amyis_drunk) December 3, 2015 

 Hysteria moreover by people, who it is worth noting, could not even bother to protest outside the Syrian or Russian embassy, - mass slaughter of course being Assad’s speciality.
The New Solipsism

 
The level of myth peddling and outright lying about the Middle East in general and Iraq in particular makes a truly detached and dispassionate history of the region since 1979,[1] nigh on impossible. Even facts that are a matter of public record are dismissed if they interfere with a narrative that pins all evil upon the west. Thus when I pointed out that a majority, albeit a small one, supported Tony Blair’s decision to attack Saddam Hussein I was at first called a liar, then a fool, then that I had chosen one unrepresentative poll. If people can dispute facts that are a matter of record what hope is there when it comes to more contentious issues? Thus it is now axiomatic that Tony Blair ‘lied’ about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. For myself I think this highly unlikely, though believing that such a threat existed he may have presented limited intelligence in the best possible light, which would be improper, though not on a par with a deliberate lie. 
Moral Certainty 

If I make such a statement on Twitter my timeline would soon be filled with hoots of derision and abuse for challenging ‘the truth’ of this accepted narrative. The nature of the Iraqi Baathist regime, the existence of active Islamist terror prior to 9/11, and the threat from the Afghan succour of Al-Quada are all now either derided or kept out of the narrative as inconvenient truths. The purpose of this narrative of contemporary history is designed to prove that everything is ‘our’ fault. Arabs, Iranians, Pakistani’s are all victims, and only victims, afforded at best a walk on part. ‘The West,’ - US, UK, Europe Australasia, and of course Israel are the only states possessing agency; the ‘victims’ can only react. It cannot escape notice how inherently racist and indeed imperialist this worldview is, and indeed it is in reality the imperial vision turned on its head, served up with copious amounts of self-loathing. As Nick Cohen puts it, ‘behead us, we deserve it.’
This is not to argue that intervention by western nations such as Britain and the US do not bear some culpability for the chaos that has now descended on the region. The removal of Saddam Hussein was a great relief to the Iraqi people and to all the surrounding states, no matter what they may have said at the time. This is particularly true of Iran. The region and the wider world became safer after this vile dictator was removed. 
However where culpability does arise is in the post invasion occupation. Lack of planning, criminal levels of negligence, autocratic governance and the dismantling of the whole Iraqi military overnight proved to be a monumental error.[2] Had there been a proper thought out plan perhaps now we would not be discussing the horrors of Daesh. For this Tony Blair deserves at least some of the blame.
However eventually, and clumsily, the US did withdraw and Iraqi’s were able to take responsibility for the post Saddam state.[3] The ensuing Al-Maliki regime, wedded to sectarianism, Shia supremacy and the gradual alienation of Sunni Iraqi’s provided the real breeding ground for Daesh.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
It might be possible one day to have an objective and dispassionate debate about the Iraq war of 2003, but that day has not yet arrived and looks to be some time in coming. It is impossible to have a reasonable debate, and there is a case for non-intervention in Syria, it is not an especially good one in my opinion, with the shroud wavers shrieking genocide, baby killers, warmongers…you fill in the blanks.[4] These people you see are governed by certainty and sit atop the moral high ground….

Well no, that’s not how it works. The situation in Syria is deeply complex and cannot be reduced to thought free sloganizing, no matter how passionate and anyone claiming moral certainty in this area is either a charlatan or a fool.      

[1] This is a fairly random date, only it encompasses the Iranian Revolution and the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan which inaugurated the present period of instability.
[2] Though had the US led coalition left Saddam’s Military in place one can imagine what a universal chorus of derision would have arisen from the anti-war left.
[3] Rather calling into question the ‘it was all about oil/US hegemony’ narrative. The prime beneficiaries of US intervention being the anti-US Iranian theocracy.
[4] It goes without saying that no honest debate could be had with the front organisation the so called Stop the War Coalition. The agenda of this group is unremittingly anti-western and supports both Russian and Iranian intervention. It is to all intents and purposes  

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