  Meeting
Report
April 4, 2003
Dr. Ayad Al-Qazzaz
Perspectives on Iraq
 Dr.
Ayad Al-Qazzaz is a native of Iraq and is a professor of sociology at
California State University Sacramento (CSUS).
Dr. Al-Qazzaz spoke on the objectives of American foreign
policy in the Middle East as they focused on Iraq, both during the 1990s
and post-Sept. 11. After the conclusion of the 1991 Gulf War, we had a
policy of containment towards Iraq. He gave some geopolitical reasons for
allowing Saddam Hussein to remain in power after that war. He said that we
needed a credible villain to scare the other oil-rich Gulf States into
buying US-made weapons and to allow us to set up bases on their soil. Our
military presence there would then serve to guarantee a continuous flow of
Middle East oil to the West. During this time period, economic sanctions
and no-fly zones were imposed on Iraq to keep that country from becoming
too powerful. This policy was carried out by both the George H. W. Bush
and Clinton administrations, in spite of the hardships it created for the
Iraqi people.
After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, American policy changed.
George W. Bush was strongly influenced by neo-conservative advisors, who
favored a much more aggressive approach that could now succeed
politically. Dr. Al-Qazzaz said that if we got rid of Saddam Hussein, we
could settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Israel’s terms. Saddam’s
removal would also send a strong message to other countries in the region
to not trample on American interests. It could also lead to the weakening
of the power of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
and enable the United States to control the oil spigot to the rest of the
world.
Dr. Al-Qazzaz clearly opposes the war with Iraq. He looks
on it as undemocratic, a terrible precedent as far is international law is
concerned, and likely to fragment Iraq. It would confirm the suspicions of
many in the Middle East that it is a war against Islam, in spite of
protestations to the contrary. It is also guaranteed to create more Osama
bin Ladens.
Dr. Al-Qazzaz was introduced by Phil LaZier, of the
Program Committee.
Report
prepared by Wayne Luney, HAGSA Recorder
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