Deanna Spingola -- Bush's War of Terror, Prelude

It wasn't that we had not been in Iraq before. We were actually, at one time, on working terms with Iraq's leader, an early CIA asset Saddam Hussein. To grasp current issues, we must place them into the context of Iraq's relatively recent history.

Anti- American Qasim, Qassim and Kassem (various spellings) had overthrown the American friendly Iraqi monarchy in July 1958. He immediately began the process of nationalizing the foreign oil companies. He nationalized part of the British controlled Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC). He took measures to withdraw from the anti-Soviet Baghdad Pact and decriminalize the Iraqi Communist Party, the biggest in the Middle East. He purchased arms from the Soviets and filled government posts with local communist party members. In 1961 Kassem intended to occupy Kuwait and nationalize their oil. [4]

On 7 October 1959, anti-communist Ba ath Party member Saddam Hussein, with five others, attempted to assassinate Kassem, but this CIA supported plot failed. Slightly injured, Saddam went to Beirut where he received CIA training while living in an apartment maintained by them. Saddam Hussein was created, bought and paid for by America's CIA. Potential dictators rarely succeed without sustained support coupled with ulterior agendas. After training in Beirut, he lived in Cairo, where he made numerous visits to the American Embassy "where CIA specialists such as Miles Copeland and CIA Station Chief Jim Eichelberger were in residence". [5] He returned to Iraq after the assassination of Kassem on 8 February 1963. This coup was planned by Richard Helms and orchestrated by William Lakeland, the U.S. assistant military attach� in Baghdad. Richard Helms was the Director for Plans at the CIA, the top position responsible for covert actions. This coup put the Ba ath Party in power for the first time, though not for long. [6]

Saddam Hussein then became head of the Al-Jihaz al-Khas, the clandestine Ba athist Intelligence organization whose objective was to remove political opposition. The new CIA sponsored regime soon abolished Kassem's anti-American policies. Not only were Kassem's policies wiped out but thousands of his communist supporters were purged by the CIA's compliant machine gun toting Iraqi National Guardsmen.

Persecution reigned driven by CIA intelligence. This intelligence was received from dissidents or agents and contained the names of certain Iraqi professionals (always the first to go via a multitude of methods) such as doctors, lawyers, teachers and professors. Up to 10,000 people were either imprisoned or murdered. The new regime waged a vendetta against the Kurds. No one was spared - pregnant women, children. Without the CIA's bloody involvement, the small Arab socialistic nationalist Ba ath Party's efforts would have failed. The CIA used the willing Ba ath Party who had close connections to the military. In return, the party agreed to the eradication of the leftists and communists. [7]

Saddam and the CIA see nothing wrong with eliminating enemies. People are expendable under particular circumstances and objectives. It is the epitome of situational justifications. Saddam Hussein when once questioned by an interviewer about disposing of one's opponents said the following: "What do you expect if they oppose the regime?" If a country's leader will not be manipulated then assassination is apparently justified according to the One World Order agenda. This frequently used methodology is a type and model for all countries.

The socialistic Ba athists lost power for a few years causing many members to be imprisoned, including Saddam Hussein who was a political prisoner for short periods in the mid sixties. With CIA help, the Ba ath party regained power in 1968. Saddam became the second man in charge under his relative Muhammad Bakr, the general who became President.

Despite CIA help in putting the Baath Party back in power, Iraq signed a 15 year friendship pact with the Soviets in April 1972. The Soviets supplied Iraq with arms and cooperated with them in political, economic and military affairs. President Bakr nationalized Iraq's oil industry. All foreign oil companies "lost their holdings" including the twenty-five percent share of the Iraq Petroleum Company owned by U.S. based Exxon and Mobil. The Soviet Union, and later France, provided technical aid and capital to Iraq's oil industry." [8]

In July 1979, Saddam Hussein gained complete control of the Ba ath Party and became president of Iraq. Under Saddam and the Ba ath Party, Iraq, with oil money and Soviet foreign aid developed into a progressive environment with modern conveniences. He was totally ruthless with opponents but his secular policies generally improved the lives of the acceptable Iraqis. His abhorrent treatment of the northern Kurds is well substantiated. [9]

Other significant things were happening in the Middle East that would have great impact on us. The pro American Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, succeeded his father in 1941. In 1953 America supported the Shah in a power struggle with his prime minister who wanted to nationalize Iran's oil industry. To ensure our Iranian oil supply we provided a vast amount of economic aid. For Iran, western aid was not without the accompanying western influence. The ultra-conservative Muslims wanted to retain the harsh punishments and the veil. They resisted the western intrusion of tobacco, alcohol, movies, gambling and foreign dress. Only those individuals who were increasing their wealth by way of these cultural changes supported the Shah who was trying to bring social change and modernization. A few of the more modern clerics also supported the Shah while others were absolutely outraged. [10]

The popular Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa (religious edict) against these social changes. The Shah used government owned radio to ridicule the ultra- conservative clergy. The clerics banned together behind Khomeini. There was rioting by some theology students who opposed the opening of liquor stores. Hundreds were killed by the Shah's paratroopers. Again, the clerics were understandably outraged.

The Shah forcefully suppressed all opposition which included the 5 June 1963 arrest of Khomeini, the people's fearless hero, who opposed the student killings. Demonstrations against the government became rampant. The Shah imposed martial law with orders to shoot and kill the rioters. After two days of rioting, thousands were dead, including twenty-eight clerics. [11]

Khomeini was banished from the country on 4 Nov 1964 and went to Turkey - thereafter he lived in Najaf, Iraq for thirteen years until Saddam exiled him in October 1978. He then went to Paris. Though absent, he continued to exert great influence in Iran and persisted in building a political and religious power base. With compelling charisma he recorded messages which were smuggled into Iran. The cassettes were repeatedly reproduced and distributed throughout the country. His persuasive rhetoric urged people toward disobedience.

Meanwhile, the Shah spent billions on the economy. Iran's oil production increased. Manufacturing increased. Public education and health services improved. However, the people did not forget the bloody riots of 1963. Censorship increased - books were burned. More liberal divorce laws were instituted in 1967. Secular courts replaced religious courts.

The absent Khomeini, armed with religious zeal and western hatred, continued to gain popular support. The Shah's repression of political freedom created the perfect environment for a religious, political revolution. Losing control, the Shah fled on 16 January 1979 and never returned. He arrived in America in October where he was treated for cancer.

Enter the exiled infamous rabid anti-American Ayatollah Khomeini on 1 February 1979. Then the process of radical Islamization began. He quickly manipulated popular civilian discontent into hatred for anything America and smoothly seized power on 11 February 1979. All signs of western influence were immediately removed. On 5 November 1979 he declared that the United States was the "great Satan". Female and male Islamic dress codes were strictly enforced. He suspended the criminal justice system in favor of religious courts. Any opposition to religious rule or Islam received harsh punishments, even torture. Khomeini's policies set the agenda for a worldwide Islamic revolution. An analysis of his book: "Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists" would give more enlightenment on the current Islamic fundamentalist movement than reading the Koran.

Khomeini popularized the fatwa. They have become notoriously and generally accepted as part of Islam. The fatwa inspires and motivates the practice of terrorist tactics in the spread of Islamic fundamentalism. They are utilized to declare war or death on anyone who displeases the one who issues the edict. [12]

With spewing fundamentalist hatred, Khomeini incited his fervent followers to storm the United States Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 where they captured fifty-two American hostages. This was Iran's response to the United States refusal to return the Shah to Iran for trial. [13] Our response was that we cut off diplomatic relationships with Iran and closed our financial reservoir. This terrorist incident was only a foreshadowing of things to come. Terrorism is an effective military tactic against any targeted populace. It may be utilized by any faction seeking complete control, including one's own government. Its greatest advantage is unpredictability which keeps the intended victims apprehensive and vulnerable.

It was a watershed year - 1979. Events were engineered and fashioned into opportunities for political bloodshed, terrorist tactics, population reduction and demoralization, government infiltrations and takeovers. Saddam Hussein seized power of the more secular Iraqi government and was first placed on the United States list of terrorists. Khomeini seized religious and political power in Iran. They were both tyrants with opposing ideologies. Iran became the Islamic Republic of Iran, a government ruled by ultra-conservative Islamic clergy. After grabbing power, Khomeini promoted similar Islamic revolutions throughout the Middle East.

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Every revolutionary event, whether in the Middle East, the USSR, China or elsewhere is merely indicative of the powerful CFR One World Order agenda that receives support and resources, mostly from the United States. The dictator tactics used in the so called developing third world countries can and will be used everywhere. It is merely a matter of time. Like the game of dominoes, nations will topple. It is interesting to note that although Khomeini was a notorious, ruthless enemy of the West he was named Time Magazine's man of the year for 1979. (CFR) He told Time Magazine: "There is no room for play in Islam. It is deadly serious about everything." And he was deadly serious!

Part -----> 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,

Bibliography:

Geneva Convention
Wikipedia
The Iranian Revolution
2005 Censored, Peter Phillips & Project Censored
The Grand Chessboard, Zbigniew Brzezinski

Deanna Spingola has been a quilt designer and is the author of two books. She has traveled extensively teaching and lecturing on her unique methods. She has always been an avid reader of non-fiction works designed to educate rather than entertain. She is active in family history research and lectures on that topic. Currently she is the director of the local Family History Center. She has a great interest in politics and the direction of current government policies, particularly as they relate to the Constitution.