Part of our being the United States of Amnesia (Gore Vidal) is not remembering important dates. One important date is today, February 15. It was on this date in 2003 that millions around the world protested against the imminent invasion of Iraq. I've written some about it. Chris Floyd at Empire Burlesque recently wrote an interesting piece. Another important date is the weeks that we're in. Twenty years ago, George H W Bush launched the Gulf War. This past weekend marks the 20 years since the US bombed the Amariyah Shelter. Obama today gave Bush 41 the "Medal of Freedom" in a White House ceremony that honored Bush, noting he "built a broad international coalition to expel a dictator from Kuwait" as well as how his "humility and his decency reflects the very best of the American spirit." There's much concern of late regarding the Camp David agreement between Egypt and Israel, since a new Democratic! Egypt might not abide by them. Of course, much of Egypt's groveling before Israel and the United States the last several decades is not directly attributable to Camp David, most obviously, the Mubarak regime's cooperation in the siege against Gaza. However, shortly before the Gulf War, Eqbal Ahmad pointed to the Camp David accords as having paved the way for the Gulf War. I hope to be writing more about other ramifications, but for now, here's what Ahmad had to say: First, there has been nothing (that I have seen) in the media about what compels Saddam
Hussein's extraordinary ambitions. This fellow is being described as Hitler. As a dictator.
As a tyrant. As a dangerous guy in that region. And nobody is asking why. Because this
dictator has been around for fifteen years. What has suddenly in 1990 compelled his
ambition, that requires three hundred and fifty thousand American troops to control? That
did it?No one has named the Camp David Accords. And Saddam Hussein's ambitions are
directly attributable to the Camp David Accords.Remember the following. Since the decline of the Ottoman Empire (in other words,
since the beginning of the nineteenth century), Egypt has played the role of the regional
influential in the Arab world. Politically, culturally, even militarily, Egypt has led the
Arab world (and ideologically). The Camp David Accords' supreme achievement was to
isolate Egypt from its Arab milieu. When Anwar Sadat signed that piece of paper, his hope had been that this would lead
to the return of Egyptian territory to Egypt... which he did get. And two, a modicum of
justice for the Palestinians. So that, over time, his isolation will be ameliorated. And that
minimum that was promised to Sadat in the Camp David Accords was not honored. In
fact, the maximum was dishonored.To remind you of one reality alone, Carter, and [Harold] Saunders, and William B.
Quandt-the three American negotiators from top to the bottom (with Carter at the top,
Saunders in the middle, and Quandt at the bottom)have testified and recorded in their
books that in the last three days of the Camp David negotiations, the negotiationshad broken down on one issue. And the issue was Sadat's insistence that there should
be written in the Camp David Accords that Israel will put up no more settlements in
the West Bank and Gaza. And [Menachem] Begin would say, "I am willing to agree
on it informally, but won't do it in writing." And Carter weighs in and says, "You
must understand Begin's difficult position. I give you guarantee that there will be no
settlements."And then that day they signed the piece of paper in front of the television camera,
on prime time television. And Anwar Sadat and Begin and Carter kissed each other.
(Sadat was particularly fond of kissing.) And then he went down and kissed his friend,
Barbara Walters. And told Barbara Walters that there will be peace and comprehensive
peace-in the Middle East. This was confirmed by Carter and Begin. And the next day,
around afternoon, Israel announced the setting up of new settlements. And Carter called
poppycock.But much more than that. It is after Camp David that the settlement process escalated. It
is after Camp David that 60 percent of Palestinian lands were expropriated in the West
Bank. It is after Camp David that nearly 80 percent of Palestinian water came under the
Israeli occupying authority's control. And it was after Camp David that nearly eighteen
thousand books were banned in the West Bank and Gaza. And it is after Camp David that
Palestinian local leaders began to be deported (in violation of the Geneva Conventions).Have you noticed what I have just said? It is after Camp David that the four elements
of life, without which no community can survive, came under organized assault by the
Israeli military occupation authorities. Those are: land, water, culture, and leaders. What
underlies this extraordinary event called the Intifada is not merely Palestinian heroism,
or its will to liberation. It is Palestinian desperation, and its will to survival. Literally, I
mean, survival.Now, obviously, Camp David meant moral, ideological, political isolation of Egypt
from its Arab milieu. There would be a political vacuum in the Middle East after Camp
David. And smaller players-like Syria and Iraq-would love, would aim at, would have the
ambition, to fill that vacuum.PDF source.
Hussein's extraordinary ambitions. This fellow is being described as Hitler. As a dictator.
As a tyrant. As a dangerous guy in that region. And nobody is asking why. Because this
dictator has been around for fifteen years. What has suddenly in 1990 compelled his
ambition, that requires three hundred and fifty thousand American troops to control? That
did it?No one has named the Camp David Accords. And Saddam Hussein's ambitions are
directly attributable to the Camp David Accords.Remember the following. Since the decline of the Ottoman Empire (in other words,
since the beginning of the nineteenth century), Egypt has played the role of the regional
influential in the Arab world. Politically, culturally, even militarily, Egypt has led the
Arab world (and ideologically). The Camp David Accords' supreme achievement was to
isolate Egypt from its Arab milieu. When Anwar Sadat signed that piece of paper, his hope had been that this would lead
to the return of Egyptian territory to Egypt... which he did get. And two, a modicum of
justice for the Palestinians. So that, over time, his isolation will be ameliorated. And that
minimum that was promised to Sadat in the Camp David Accords was not honored. In
fact, the maximum was dishonored.To remind you of one reality alone, Carter, and [Harold] Saunders, and William B.
Quandt-the three American negotiators from top to the bottom (with Carter at the top,
Saunders in the middle, and Quandt at the bottom)have testified and recorded in their
books that in the last three days of the Camp David negotiations, the negotiationshad broken down on one issue. And the issue was Sadat's insistence that there should
be written in the Camp David Accords that Israel will put up no more settlements in
the West Bank and Gaza. And [Menachem] Begin would say, "I am willing to agree
on it informally, but won't do it in writing." And Carter weighs in and says, "You
must understand Begin's difficult position. I give you guarantee that there will be no
settlements."And then that day they signed the piece of paper in front of the television camera,
on prime time television. And Anwar Sadat and Begin and Carter kissed each other.
(Sadat was particularly fond of kissing.) And then he went down and kissed his friend,
Barbara Walters. And told Barbara Walters that there will be peace and comprehensive
peace-in the Middle East. This was confirmed by Carter and Begin. And the next day,
around afternoon, Israel announced the setting up of new settlements. And Carter called
poppycock.But much more than that. It is after Camp David that the settlement process escalated. It
is after Camp David that 60 percent of Palestinian lands were expropriated in the West
Bank. It is after Camp David that nearly 80 percent of Palestinian water came under the
Israeli occupying authority's control. And it was after Camp David that nearly eighteen
thousand books were banned in the West Bank and Gaza. And it is after Camp David that
Palestinian local leaders began to be deported (in violation of the Geneva Conventions).Have you noticed what I have just said? It is after Camp David that the four elements
of life, without which no community can survive, came under organized assault by the
Israeli military occupation authorities. Those are: land, water, culture, and leaders. What
underlies this extraordinary event called the Intifada is not merely Palestinian heroism,
or its will to liberation. It is Palestinian desperation, and its will to survival. Literally, I
mean, survival.Now, obviously, Camp David meant moral, ideological, political isolation of Egypt
from its Arab milieu. There would be a political vacuum in the Middle East after Camp
David. And smaller players-like Syria and Iraq-would love, would aim at, would have the
ambition, to fill that vacuum.PDF source.