Iraq's debts are Saddam's, don't make us pay them back

BAGHDAD - It is a matter of time before the country gives birth to another Saddam Hussein, people here believe. The problem is that the world did not learn what history should have taught it when it comes to post-war debts.

After the downfall of Germany in WWI, the Germans expected to rebuild their country from scratch. But Europe had a different idea in that it treated Germany as the spoils of its victory.

Catering for its own interests and making the Germans pay for the mistakes of their defunct regime brought to the fore German fanatics who had catastrophic solutions for undoing injustices imposed on their country through post WWI treaties.

Iraq today faces a similar fate. After the removal of the powerful dictator, Iraqis look forward for a new and fresh start.

Iraqi hopes can never become true, however, as Kuwait, Russia and France insists that the new Iraqi government pays back Saddam Hussein's debts.

If Kuwait had a problem with Saddam, and if Russia and France are bothered to see a single super power, the US, ruling the world and enjoying its spoils, Baghdad is not the place to settle these scores.

There is no way on earth Iraqis can pay back a $126 billion debt. The Iraqis are impoverished, hungry and on top of all, now have surviving Saddam's military-trained gangs becoming professional looters and free-lance killers.

France and Russia must forget their past debts and future interests, and in return, the Iraqis would forgive French President Jacques Chirac who, while serving as prime minister in the late 1970s, flooded Baghdad with technology of mass destruction.

The Iraqis would also forgive Russia for training Saddam Hussein's most devilish intelligence and torture apparatus and arming them with top of the line Russian made arms and military technology.

When Iraqis sought help to get rid of their dictator, France and Russia were not willing to sacrifice some trade and oil privileges the Baathist regime had given them.

As an Iraqi citizen, I call on France and Russia to stop their policies that have damaged the Iraqi people. To Kuwait and other debtors I urge them not to commit France's mistake when it burdened Germany with further debts in post WWI.

As Iraqis, we realize that the Americans came for their own good and after their own interest and, guess what, we are fine with the American terms. They removed our brutal regime, funded the war and lost a number of their boys. In return, we are ready to give them concessions to pay them back for the removal of Saddam Hussein. This might be a convergence of interests. Name it the way you like, we are still fine with it.

Yet we have some advice we want to give to the Americans: Do not trust your Iraqi allies factions. Most of these leaders were brought up to the harsh realities of Arab politics. Their political culture is inhibited with elimination of rivals, executions, treachery, financial corruption and blood sheds.

The mini-Saddams who the Americans are dealing with now in Iraq would cause Iraq more harm than good. As a solution, Americans should better rule the country on behalf of its citizens for sometime.

During this period, professional Iraqi autocrats would join the American rule and once the Americans ready themselves to transfer the ruler ship, it would be these autocrats who would take over the leadership of a democratic and free Iraq.

After WWII, it was not France, Russia or other expansionist states that rebuilt Germany. It was America. We want the WWII German example repeated in Iraq as we call on the world to learn from WWI history lessons.

Sami Orfali is a student of economics at the Baghdad University. He wrote this commentary for Alternative