Global Research

Media distortion is not alone in confusing the concepts in Iraq and in describing all actions on the ground as terrorism. Hence, all actions fall within the framework of the global war against terrorism, which is taking place between the forces that claim to be raising the banner of democracy and the extremist groups that are accused of resisting development and the values of democracy.

In addition to the terrorists’ war in the Iraqi arena, there is a war between the occupation forces and the Iraqi resistance, even though the actions and operations that occur in the Iraqi arena are intertwined. Hence, the forces that are occupying Iraq and those who cooperate with them have portrayed all actions as terrorism directed against the Iraqi people. There has been confusion, and the Iraqi resistance has been absented and its objectives have been distorted in order to serve the interests of the forces that cooperate with the occupation. They ignore everything that the terrorist groups do against the resistance, and they consider the resistance to be an ally of the terrorists. Any intelligent person who reads and examines the situation in Iraq can assess the actions that are carried out in Iraq and determine the elements and the forces that are responsible for turning Iraq into a big factory for terrorism.

Several studies, some of which were carried out by US researchers and discussed by specialized committees in the US Congress, have revealed that the US administration that sanctioned the occupation of Iraq had no clear agenda. Moreover, it had no clear objective other than toppling the previous regime; occupying Iraq; and controlling its economy, particularly its oil sector, in addition to destroying its military might. Even this objective has not been implemented properly. The USA rushed [to occupy Iraq], fumbling and armed with its strong military might and relying on false advice given by opponents of the previous regime who agreed to work under the US cloak. In the light of the fact that the USA relied on its strength and on the advice of people who have racist and sectarian interests, thus leaving reason aside, it has committed many mistakes that have brought catastrophes upon it and upon Iraq.

Perhaps the gravest mistake that the USA has committed is the fact that the occupation forces were satisfied with controlling certain centres, ministries and palaces in Baghdad, while leaving Iraq open to anyone who wanted to launch an action in the future. Moreover, it left Iraq’s borders open, which has allowed all intelligence agencies and elements to infiltrate into Iraq. Hence, groups that have been awaiting an opportunity to fight the USA, whether or not their objectives and interests are in harmony with Iraq’s interests, have flooded into the country.

Therefore, all these grave mistakes have contributed towards the rise of several terrorist groups, among which are the following:

1. The occupation forces, which are morally and legally forces of organized terrorism. The occupation of others and the imposition of their presence by force despite the people’s rejection are, by all standards, organized terrorism, even if the UN considers the occupation of Iraq a reality with which one must deal.

2. Terrorism carried out by the governments that have been formed by the occupation and by their security apparatuses, which are responsible for all the revenge and destructive actions that befell Sunni cities in particular.

3. The terrorism of racist and sectarian militias that came with the occupation. These militias consider themselves to be part of Iraq, but in fact they have nothing to do with Iraq’s interests because they serve the interests of countries that are hostile to Iraq, that have sectarian agendas, and that wage known racist wars and conflicts. Given the fact that the founders and leaders of these militias are part of the governments that have been installed by the occupation, they have managed to carry out many large-scale terrorist actions.

4. The intelligence agencies of foreign countries play a big role in escalating terrorist actions by either directly implementing such actions or by providing logistical support for them. The Iraqi arena is open in an astonishing manner to intelligence action, particularly the intelligence agencies of the countries that are part of the occupation forces and neighbouring countries that have known sectarian ambitions and interests.

5. Extremist forces belonging to politicized Islamic groups such as Al-Zarqawi’s group and those who call themselves Iraqi mujahidin. These groups use the Iraqi arena to settle scores with the Western forces and to alleviate the pressure they are facing in other areas.

This list of terrorist groups, whose actions are even propagated by the media of the occupation forces and those cooperating with them, has concealed and covered the actions of the Iraqi resistance, which are much more than the actions of these terrorist groups.