Iraq Press Roundup

A suitable farewell for a war criminal

The visit by the "liberator" U.S President George W. Bush six years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was supposed to be a public event marked by celebrations, the weekly al-Basaer said Tuesday.

Bush was ushered into the heavily fortified Green Zone under tight security for his farewell visit to the country he helped democratize and secure, the paper noted ironically.

The Iraqi people would have greeted the American savior with praise in the streets if they had any faith in the Bush vision for Iraq. But the people did not even leave their homes or carry the American flag as some had anticipated.

It is unlikely Bush even notified the Iraqi government of his visit, suggesting he is afraid of the hatred expressed by the Iraqi people and their supposed willingness to seek revenge for his crimes. When the time came to say goodbye to the American president, Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi sent him a farewell kiss with the soles of his shoes.

Goodbye Bush, Iraqis don't deserve what you have done for them

The rules of democracy dictate the term of U.S. President George Bush is drawing to a close, leaving behind a remarkable page in history, the independent Kitabat said Tuesday.

Bush did the world a favor when he brought American forces to victory against Saddam Hussein and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Public opinion for the U.S. president remains low, however, because of his disregard for human freedoms and values.

The majority of Iraqi citizens are grateful Bush rescued them from the oppressive Baath regime; however, they are equally unfavorable of the Islamist and sectarian parties that took its place. This, the paper said, is the fault of the Iraqi people for bringing these parties to power.

Bush should be the last person held accountable for the political situation in Iraq. He gave the people the freedom to choose their own path and they did so in the worst possible way.

The Iraqi people blame Bush for the bloodshed and destruction in Iraq, but Iraqis should consider this a price for their freedom, the paper said.

The Bush legacy is not over. His name will have an impact on generations to come, who will hopefully long for the right values for their society.

Baghdad Kabul, Kabul Baghdad

U.S. military forces will move from the success in securing Baghdad to refocus their energy on controlling the situation in Afghanistan, Shabab al-Iraq said Tuesday.

Sending additional forces to Afghanistan, however, does not mean the situation there is similar to Iraq. Sectarian groups and religious ideologies rule Iraqi society. Meanwhile, the regional ties between Iran and Iraq are based only on the national interests of Tehran, whereas the religious and tribal ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan are virtually indistinguishable.

U.S. President George W. Bush, however, is putting all his effort into Iraq and caring little about what is happening in Afghanistan. The Taliban regime, consequently, was able to reorganize and take up weapons once again in the war-torn country.

Washington has moved to negotiation with moderate elements within the Taliban and forced Pakistan to play a role in Afghan reconstruction following lessons learned from Iraq.

No more talk about winning the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, the paper said, the focus should now be on how to withdrawal responsibly.

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(Edited by Daniel Graeber)