Official Information

I have been following the Iraq situation now for 15 years! I was actually in Riyadh during the Gulf War. The British military attache told us that we were too far away in Riyadh from Iraq to be threatened by missiles, but a scud missile from the Iraqi desert was then launched shortly after - and then almost every evening thereafter just after sunset: the launchers came out of their holes after dark. These official briefing meetings in Embassies either demonstrated the ignorance of government officials or alternatively that they knew the truth but wouldn't tell the truth in order not to alarm anyone. But that seems silly when a missile was launched anyway. Eventually a scud landed quite close to me, and for the first time I thought perhaps I ought to defend myself!

Saddam Hussein was badly advised! I would have fired 30 Scuds at Riyadh on the first night, and the whole of Riyadh would have decamped to Jeddah that very night! Luckily our leaders do not understand.

Seeing Saddam Hussein go to his death left me in two minds. Admiration that he went to his death with some dignity: A rueful acknowledgement that if someone fires a missile at me, I would reluctantly retaliate. My reaction is a measure of how uncivilised I am.

My objection today in 2007 four years after the second invasion of Iraq is that British and American politicians are mouthing excuses for their gigantic incompetence, ignorance and lack of imagination. If we are to undertake some great task, we owe it to all people to do it well. Worse, it looks to me that the people who are making these awful decisions on our behalf are not properly educated or trained in the realities of global power, nor have any real sympathy with the displaced Arab peoples, who indeed do need our help - but not this sort of help. Why is it we can spend $10 billion on war at the drop of a hat, and yet money is not available for development? If we really wish to apologise to Africa for the slave trade, then the money spent on war should be diverted to a better cause.

Beggar the thought that I could contribute to any solution to the problems of the Middle East. But sometimes I do wonder whether after 12 years in Saudi Arabia and a total of 17 years in Moslem countries, I might not have some glimmer of understanding on how to find a solution. Our existing politicians surely could not have made it worse, and yet the world is full of people these days who know the world well and sympathise in a way that our politicians do not.

So what I think is happening is that there is a disconnect between our politicians who stay at home and an international diaspora, growing ever larger and influential, who so far serve no useful function in international politics. My only consolation is that Tony Blair knows what he has done, and it shows in every new wrinkle on his face!