A Controversial Viewpoint -

Small nations finding common cause with US interests: the coming invasion of Iraq

The coming invasion of Iraq with or without UN rubber stamp has placed many questions before the Eelam Tamil Diaspora. Many Eelam Tamils are in countries whose host population is vehemently opposed to the war, yes, even in Blair’s UK. Thus influenced by this sentiment, some of us have written articles and expressed views in support of peace in Iraq, but is this in the best interest of Eelam Tamils? A silent majority does support the coming war of liberation given the opportunity it is going to provide to the long suffering minority Kurds and even the Iraqi Shias to set themselves free of the clutches of the tyrannical Sunni elites of Baghdad. At a deep emotional level our sympathies lie not with the general Iraqi people, but with the Kurds and Shias because we can identify with their plight more than the “plight” of the nation state called Iraq. 

Iraq: a failed nation state 

Iraq, just like Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia, is a colonial creation. It was put together by the British from the ashes of the defeated Ottoman Empire. It has three large ethno-religious communities, namely the Kurds, Sunni Arabs and Shia Arabs. The Shia Arabs, the perennial underdogs in all Arab countries due to their heterodox Islam, are the real majority. The ruling elites of the Sunni Arab clans are a clear minority. But by monopolizing their location close to Baghdad and, thus, the military, they have tightly controlled this oil rich nation for the last 40 years.  

Sunni domination 

The ruthless, despotic and, at times, demonic rule of Sunni clan leadership has left the majority Shias and minority Kurds chaffing. Ethnic cleansing and Arabizing of Kurdish lands is a normal day-to-day occurrence in Iraq. Just like many Sinhalese governments in Sri Lanka have gone on to settle criminal, as well as other, Sinhalese in strategically important Tamil lands, regimes in Baghdad too have settled Arabs in Mosul, Kirkuk and other oil rich Kurdish cities with pliant and criminal Arab settlers. Settlement of Arabs in non-Arab areas is also going on in Sudan and Mauritania.  The media in the west is least interested in the plight of ethnic minorities in these countries and the clear violations of their human rights and their very right to exist.  

Iraq’s threat to North America 

The clear threat posed by Saddam Hussein and Iraq to North American prosperity and policy has opened the eyes of American policy makers regarding the following issues, at least in the Iraqi case:  

1) Non-viability of many nation states created by former colonial masters and the resultant creation of tensions in the world order. 

2) Plight of ethnic minorities and the extent to which ruling ethnic elites will go to suppress them and the resultant tensions as well as opportunities in the global order. 

3) The opposition to American interests shown by cohesive states such as Turkey, India, China, Germany, Russia, France and even a debt ridden Sri Lanka! 

4) The strength of small countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, Singapore and UAE in supporting the US war effort.

A federal Iraq? 

All these issues have relevance to the Eelam Tamil national question and its future.  

Iraq as a centralizing nation state has demonstrated that it is in not a viable entity. It has to be held by a despot like Saddam Hussein, as are many other countries including Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is an ethnic democracy where the majority elects ruling parties that cater to its specific needs ignoring the minorities and the periphery.  

A federal Iraq where constituent provinces or states have a large say over internal and even some external matters is the next best solution to a centralized nation state. The best solution would be to divide Iraq into three countries, except for Turkish complaints. Turkey, another country with a perennial minority problem, fears that an independent Kurdistan in northern Iraq would lead to further demands by its own shackled and discriminated Kurdish minority. If not for Turkey, the west would have divided Iraq long ago. 

Malcontent minorities 

Post September 11 has also brought to light the plight of ethnic minorities’ non-existent loyalties to the central powers such as Kurds in Iraq and Tajiks in Afghanistan. These malcontent minority groups were used to extend American interests. Kurds were betrayed three times over three generations by great power politics, but are willing to play ball with the Americans. Till Eelam Tamils are a viable minority and while their socio-economic and political problems have not been solved, they too would play ball.  

A united Arab nation? 

Just imagine if all the Arab countries were one country instead of the 22 as they are now? It would pose a very great threat not only to western and US interests, but also to the entire world who are not Muslims.  What are the advantages for the west in general and the US in particular in having a number of large, unified and viable postcolonial countries? 

Other than the obvious reason of economic stability none comes to my mind. But is this assumption even correct? The fact that there are 22 Arab countries has not prevented the world from trading with them and creating wealth, but it also has US to influence smaller nations such as Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.   

It has also prevented the Arab domination of the rest of the world via their possession of crude oil. In fact it can be argued that 22 Arab countries have actually helped in the growth of the global economy because they are forced to work within the confines of supply and demand.   

Given the intransigence displayed by Turkey, a NATO member, to the current war effort, imagine if Turkey were two countries as it logically should be. It would be much easier for the US to get the OK from the Kurdish part of Turkey to allow it to base its troops than from Ankara.  

Small nations as strategic allies of the US 

The strategic importance of smaller nations as opposed to larger ones to project American power is further magnified by the conduct of Singapore. Singapore, which is at a strategic location, has shown to be a very reliable ally of American interests whereas neighboring Malaysia from which it separated about 40 years ago is turning into a bastion of anti American sentiments.

But what is in it for the smaller countries to kowtow the US line? They gain security and protection from regional hegemons such as China, India, Iran, Russia and Turkey from the sole super power. By letting Americans stay in their soil none of the regional hegemonies could attack these countries militarily or even economically.  

Threats to US power 

China, India, Iran, Turkey and France and Russia are a definite threat to US interests.  It is a given that the Americans are already working to surround and marginalize the potency of these countries. Iran will be surrounded after this war on three sides. This is why the Americans are cultivating Sri Lanka as a potential ally in the future as part of containing India.  

Sri Lanka an ally or enemy? 

Sri Lanka has historically shown to be politically left of center and anti-American in its pronouncements since independence. The Americans cannot rely on it to support the war effort like Singapore or an Arab Qatar. Further the fundamentalist Buddhism as practiced in Sri Lanka is anti-western due to imaginary fears about Christian missionaries converting the locals.  It also has to kowtow to its Muslim minority population due to its electoral politics. It also has to defer to the interests of New Delhi due to the support provided by New Delhi in curtailing minority Eelam Tamil nationalism. 

Sri Lanka does not even carry its weight in the world economic system for being a united country.  It is a burden on the global economy, a net exporter of unskilled labor and survives largely on international aid.  In the post September 11 world, net exporters of 'disgruntled' human cargo to the west has to be curtailed and stopped. 

It is useless as an ally in any future power projections by the US into the Muslim Middle East. It would also eventually be a useless ally in helping the US surround the Indians if needed. But what if there are two loosely connected Sri Lankas, one of which is so alienated that it will chose a distant ally over neighbors?  Similarly a South Asia where a number of small states are competing with each other for American attention would be a great opportunity indeed for the US to exploit and control the heart of India, Iran and China. Just like 22 Arab nations have decentralized power and created wealth, a South Asia with number of smaller countries could also lead to further prosperity.  

Could Tamil Eelam be another Singapore? 

Eelam Tamils are an ethnic minority with a national conscious who have been left to the wolves by the departing colonial power. They have been betrayed by two great powers - Britain and India. Their national interests are not aligned with either Colombo or New Delhi. Eelam Tamils' Diaspora political leadership could cultivate long term relationships with American decision makers and bureaucrats and demonstrate to them that an independent or even a semi independent TE would be a natural ally of America. It could be demonstrated that Washington could rely on it 110% .  Just like Singapore will defy Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta to support the US, TE would defy Colombo and New Delhi to support Washington.  

Further, a Sri Lanka without its perennial ethnic political problems can concentrate on developing its economy, thus it too will cease to be a country of human smugglers and donor receivers.  An independent or semi-independent TE would also be an economic Tiger indeed. 

                                                           R. N.