Saudi peace plan: Has diplomacy and the peace movement failed? What can we do now?
This war is a war between World Opinion (WO) and the American Killing Machine (AKM). AKM can hardly be stopped in Iraq. It is going to kill all the way into the centre of Baghdad, into every town and village, and keep on killing until there is no Arab left who will dare to 'raise their heads'. But this is only a battle; not the war. WO fights the war by receiving prominent reporting on three essential areas. First, the exposure of death and misery. This is why the photo and video of the captured and killed American soldiers were properly shown on TV, and must continue to be shown, along with the deaths of Iraqis, soldiers, civilians, reporters, foreigners, everyone. Just as every Iraqi soldier or irregular killed by AKM is a military 'victory' for it; every death whatever that is reported to WO is a victory to WO and a defeat for AKM. People and organisations who propose the censorship or suppression of reports on deaths identify themselves as agents of AKM. Reporting on the war must cover prominently on a daily basis every person killed or suffering, with numbers, photos, video and identification if possible.

Secondly, reporting to WO must also include an accurate military description, so that the killing of today, tomorrow and next week can be understood, anticipated, objected to. Reporting of the military situation is unsatisfactory, it seems to me. In particular there is a failure to give the position and order of battle of the opposing forces, as far as is known, on internet published situation maps, updated daily. We know that the armoured drive on Baghdad consists essentially of the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division, supported by the 101st airborne and 1st Marines on the flanks and rear areas. The 4th Mechanized Inf is redeploying from Turkey to Kuwait to move up in support in the next week. British forces (which division?) are in action in the South, around Basra. How many other Anglo-American divisions are in action, and where are they located? It should not be difficult or impossible to discover this. We know that 3 Republican guard divisions are in the vicinity of Baghdad, the Medina, Baghdad and Al-Amer divisions. Where are the others and the regular army divisions also? Everything should be on a map to be seen at a glance.

The American plan seems to be to place Baghdad under siege by heavy forces as soon as possible. Thus the transport routes in and out of Baghdad can expect to be sealed within days. Once under siege, the Americans will hope for a capitulation of the regime, possibly by a coup, mutiny or army collapse. Failing that, they will then reduce the city. However the assault on Baghdad should not be seen as an either/or proposition, that is, either a siege, or else a massive assault. The Americans will not likely make the mistake of von Paulus in Stalingrad: a costly application of brute force. Nor will they follow Soviet tactics in the battle of Berlin: more brute force on a massive scale with enormous casualties on both sides. With superior doctrine, special forces, training, tactics, weapons and technology, AKM will be able to launch a sophisticated and flexible assault on Baghdad, taking time if they need to, tactically withdrawing if resistance is tougher, responding rapidly to political developments.

Nevertheless the anticipated rapid collapse of the regime has not materialised, and an assault is to be expected, probably in about a week as the beseiging forces are reinforced and rear areas are cleared. This provides a diplomatic opportunity for WO. High level and sustained ceasefire and peacemaking diplomatic endeavour is the third and final element of reporting to WO that must be covered each day. In the six months prior to the war, France and Germany have succeeded brilliantly in using the UN as a high level forum for exposing and stalling AKM. The Security Council or other high level diplomatic initiative must continue and expand this effort now that the war has started. The Security Council should be in the process of drafting and proposing peace plans, consisting of a ceasefire, holding of lines, withdrawal of invading forces, and deployment of peacekeepers, probably also a proposal for immunity and exile for Saddam: some sort of face saving formula for both Saddam and Bush. Bush will not likely accept any of this, anymore than he would accept plans for extended inspections, but the target is WO and this must not be forgotten. WO must be won over to the peace plan, this will achieve the isolation and eventual disempowerment of AKM.

The situation of besieged people in Basra and Baghdad must also be vigourously highlighted to WO, including plans for ceasefire, peace and rescue. Kofi Annan and the Red Cross have made efforts in this regard, but ideally the focus of WO should be on the highest level concerted planning, ie the UN. It is not likely that AKM can be stopped before it has totally crushed Iraq, but a sustained effort must be made to expose the killing, call for a ceasefire, and a political solution. In this way WO can defeat AKM, not in the battle for Iraq, but in the war against war.

Saudi peace plan: Has diplomacy and the peace movement failed? What can we do now?
This war is a war between World Opinion (WO) and the American Killing Machine (AKM). AKM can hardly be stopped in Iraq. It is going to kill all the way into the centre of Baghdad, into every town and village, and keep on killing until there is no Arab left who will dare to 'raise their heads'. But this is only a battle; not the war. WO fights the war by receiving prominent reporting on three essential areas. First, the exposure of death and misery. This is why the photo and video of the captured and killed American soldiers were properly shown on TV, and must continue to be shown, along with the deaths of Iraqis, soldiers, civilians, reporters, foreigners, everyone. Just as every Iraqi soldier or irregular killed by AKM is a military 'victory' for it; every death whatever that is reported to WO is a victory to WO and a defeat for AKM. People and organisations who propose the censorship or suppression of reports on deaths identify themselves as agents of AKM. Reporting on the war must cover prominently on a daily basis every person killed or suffering, with numbers, photos, video and identification if possible.

Secondly, reporting to WO must also include an accurate military description, so that the killing of today, tomorrow and next week can be understood, anticipated, objected to. Reporting of the military situation is unsatisfactory, it seems to me. In particular there is a failure to give the position and order of battle of the opposing forces, as far as is known, on internet published situation maps, updated daily. We know that the armoured drive on Baghdad consists essentially of the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division, supported by the 101st airborne and 1st Marines on the flanks and rear areas. The 4th Mechanized Inf is redeploying from Turkey to Kuwait to move up in support in the next week. British forces (which division?) are in action in the South, around Basra. How many other Anglo-American divisions are in action, and where are they located? It should not be difficult or impossible to discover this. We know that 3 Republican guard divisions are in the vicinity of Baghdad, the Medina, Baghdad and Al-Amer divisions. Where are the others and the regular army divisions also? Everything should be on a map to be seen at a glance.

The American plan seems to be to place Baghdad under siege by heavy forces as soon as possible. Thus the transport routes in and out of Baghdad can expect to be sealed within days. Once under siege, the Americans will hope for a capitulation of the regime, possibly by a coup, mutiny or army collapse. Failing that, they will then reduce the city. However the assault on Baghdad should not be seen as an either/or proposition, that is, either a siege, or else a massive assault. The Americans will not likely make the mistake of von Paulus in Stalingrad: a costly application of brute force. Nor will they follow Soviet tactics in the battle of Berlin: more brute force on a massive scale with enormous casualties on both sides. With superior doctrine, special forces, training, tactics, weapons and technology, AKM will be able to launch a sophisticated and flexible assault on Baghdad, taking time if they need to, tactically withdrawing if resistance is tougher, responding rapidly to political developments.

Nevertheless the anticipated rapid collapse of the regime has not materialised, and an assault is to be expected, probably in about a week as the beseiging forces are reinforced and rear areas are cleared. This provides a diplomatic opportunity for WO. High level and sustained ceasefire and peacemaking diplomatic endeavour is the third and final element of reporting to WO that must be covered each day. In the six months prior to the war, France and Germany have succeeded brilliantly in using the UN as a high level forum for exposing and stalling AKM. The Security Council or other high level diplomatic initiative must continue and expand this effort now that the war has started. The Security Council should be in the process of drafting and proposing peace plans, consisting of a ceasefire, holding of lines, withdrawal of invading forces, and deployment of peacekeepers, probably also a proposal for immunity and exile for Saddam: some sort of face saving formula for both Saddam and Bush. Bush will not likely accept any of this, anymore than he would accept plans for extended inspections, but the target is WO and this must not be forgotten. WO must be won over to the peace plan, this will achieve the isolation and eventual disempowerment of AKM.

The situation of besieged people in Basra and Baghdad must also be vigourously highlighted to WO, including plans for ceasefire, peace and rescue. Kofi Annan and the Red Cross have made efforts in this regard, but ideally the focus of WO should be on the highest level concerted planning, ie the UN. It is not likely that AKM can be stopped before it has totally crushed Iraq, but a sustained effort must be made to expose the killing, call for a ceasefire, and a political solution. In this way WO can defeat AKM, not in the battle for Iraq, but in the war against war.