Has the War ended ?

The "coalition" forces seem to have taken control of most of Iraq.  Saddam is not to be found and the much-feared resistance in the form of chemical or biological weapons did not materialise.  The citizens of Iraq have, now, come out to greet the "liberators" [unlike the first two weeks when there was no one to welcome the US and British forces with open arms].

So, it is possible that the computer simulations and war games that the Americans ran before landing in Iraq were right -- it did turn out to be a "cakewalk".  I admit I was wrong in thinking that there would be resistance.  I take back the scepticism I expressed in my previous article.

Yet, [yes, my friend in America, here it comes ....] inspite of the scenes of jubilation and the words "Thank you Bush" expressed by some Iraqis on television, I still wonder ... was it right for the Americans to portray themselves as liberators ?  Why not first express regret for all the suffering that Iraqis had to bear as a result of the support for Saddam Hussein pre-Kuwait and the "sanctions" on the Iraqi nation [rather than on Saddam Hussein alone] post-Kuwait *before* going in to liberate the people from the pain ?  And what of the various arguments presented earlier -- WMD, the Al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein himself ?  Am I being too hasty in asking for justification or evidence in support of those arguments so soon after the "coalition" forces entered Baghdad ?  .....  ....  .... Fine, let's give the Americans some more time to come up with Saddam Hussein and the evidence on his support Al-Qaeda and the manufacture [and intended use] of WMDs.

Bush says that he would declare the war ended only when Tommy Franks says so. If the war was liberate Iraq it has ended.  If the war was to capture Saddam Hussein it hasn't yet ended.  If the war was to find and destroy WMDs, it hasn't yet ended.  If the war was to severe the link between Iraq [or Saddam Hussein] and the Al-Qaeda ... umm ... ?  [Frankly, I would more believe that Pakistan supported the Al-Qaeda than that Iraq supported the Al-Qaeda, but I do not have proof either way].

And what of local government in Iraq ?  Handing Iraq back to the Iraqis ?