The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
[Main archive index/search] [List information] [Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]
I would like to say that despite the war is over many Iraqis and Arabs in the UK still feel embittered about that war and the aftermath whereby Iraqi citizens are made to feel second class citizens in their own country. Now is the time that they are looking to CASI for information and updates. I would also say that I stood as a LibDem councillor with other Party members in the recent local elections. The town is close to both RAF and Army bases and approximately 30% of the population are associated in some way to the military - some said that we would suffer as the backlash. I am pleased to say that every LibDem candidate was successful overturning large Tory majorities and the Labour couldn't even find enough candidates to stand. The work of CASI and other anti-war, anti-sanctions has been recognised. I sincerely hope that CASI continues. Maureen Jalili ----- Original Message ----- From: "John-Peter Hopperger" <j-ph@mindspring.com> To: <casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk> Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 9:12 PM Subject: Re: [casi] Unfree stuff happens to free Iraqis! > > Greetings, > > Elga Sutter sadly concluded from someone's > response that CASI is no longer the place for > addressing concerns over injustices in Iraq. > > While it may be true that "people are simply > burnt out from the efforts of many years," it > seems to me that insensitive remarks by one > should be seen, and accepted, as outbursts > to vent frustration and a sense of failure. > > The manifestly emotional reasoning goes like > this: We have tried hard. We couldn't stop the > war. Our actions were ineffective. Why bother > with collecting more proof that the attackers are > wrong? We've known this all along, for all the > good that did! > > Elga feels discouraged by the assertion that, > "while such messages may be useful for those > who are just beginning to wake to the truth, for > most of us on this list, they are redundant." > > Such words can only be understood as angry > reaction to a felt sense of impotence. It should > not be mistaken for a valid assessment of the > psychology or demographics of CASI. > > First, to the best of my knowledge, CASI is > not a static entity. There is both attrition and > influx. No member can know what the level > of knowledge of other members is, nor what > the preferences for information might be. > > Second, the very fact that massive worldwide > antagonism to US/UK bellicosity was unable > to thwart its progress, indicates that critical > elements of the dynamic are as yet unclear. > Gaps can only be closed with new data > from continued observation. > > The task of breaking through fog blown by > a vast propaganda machine, entails building > context from the chronology of activities. > > Elga's hope "that these questions, and more, > would be of interest to CASI members," is > well-founded. Her conclusion that "evidently > I was mistaken," is not. > > It is self-evident that a running discourse on > modus operandi would offer hope for grasping > true motives, and by extension, vulnerabilities. > > Elga asks, "has USAID implemented barring of > Iraqi firms on the grounds that Iraq is not part > of the "free world"? If so, who instructed > USAID? The State Department?" > > I won't presume to speak for CASI members, > but to me such questions are vital and sharp. > I'll pursue lines like these in future posts. > > Only the intent of my current post lets me > resist the temptation of taking up promising > questions like "am I correct in saying that > reconstruction work is illegal until sanctions > are lifted, going by UN resolutions?" > > I firmly agree with Elga, " that asking critical > questions may prevent further injustice being > done to the Iraqis and their country." > > Not only that, but it'll do wonders for lifting a > smokescreen of obfuscation that succeeded > so abominably well in mustering the domestic > support for an insane course by the US/UK. > > I sincerely hope that Elga will reconsider not > asking any more questions on CASI. > > Best regards, > JPH > > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. > To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss > To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk > All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk