Secret celebrations

As we mark the first full week of Iraqi sovereignty, the world is only just beginning to appreciate the full significance of the historic ha...

As we mark the first full week of Iraqi sovereignty, the world is only just beginning to appreciate the full significance of the historic handover ceremony, which was hurried through in secret two days before it was due and without any of the top people present. It is now clear that this may well be a blueprint for all future state occasions and festivities in this age of terrorism.

President Bush is expected to order that, from now on, July 4 should be celebrated at least two days earlier, although the White House will reserve the right to declare July 4 in June or even May if need be8230; Furthermore, all public ceremonies will be held in private and will last no more than 20 minutes. Any American official involved should be given the chance to get safely away before an announcement is made, when events may be restaged for the television cameras8230;

Condoleezza Rice wrote to President Bush that 8220;Iraq is sovereign8221;, which, according to my dictionary, means 8220;independent of outside authority8221;. The reality of course is that Iraq has 140,000 American troops stationed on its soil, whom the Iraqi government cannot get rid of8230; Before he hurried off, Paul Bremer thoughtfully wrote most of the new government8217;s laws for it, including capping all income and corporate taxes at 15 per cent and banning Iraqis from driving with only one hand on the steering wheel. And he8217;s framed his laws in a way that the new sovereign government of Iraq can do nothing whatsoever about. It goes without saying that it can8217;t rescind Order 39, which throws Iraq open for foreign investment far beyond World Bank guidelines or what is practised by Britain and the US8230;

The handover of 8220;sovereignty8221; was just as meaningless as the handover of Saddam Hussein from US to Iraqi control. He8217;s still held by the Americans in a secret location, but 8220;legally8221; he8217;s now in 8220;Iraqi control8221;8230;

Secrecy and control must become our watchwords if democracy is to survive in the age of terrorism and continue to confront the enemies of freedom 8212; tyrants, such as Saddam Hussein, who operate by secrecy and control that are the very opposite of our own traditions.

Excerpted from an article by Terry Jones in 8216;The Guardian8217;, July 7