The Baathists have changed their skin and assumed new appearances. The religious people slipped out of their cloaks, hoping to satisfy the White House master and win his sympathy. Those who had fled the country and lived abroad for decades suddenly assumed the dual role of victim and savior and began to show how concerned they are about the country by offering their services.

Under the surface, however, there is a lot of movement. Plans are being drawn and preparations made. Simmering conflicts are about to explode. Some of them will soon be obvious for every one to see; others will remain buried until the time is ripe for them to come into the open. It may be years before the full picture became clear and the long-awaited results were known.

In the Arab arena, politicians have miraculously assumed the role of journalists, cursing a regime that only yesterday they courted and appeased. They always chose to deal with the status quo, regardless of whether it was good or bad.

Arab governments and peoples are united in their abilities to forget. They have forgotten and abandoned a major Arab country which has now fallen under foreign occupation. Many have already begun to get used to the new reality.

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Diplomats usually resort to the most vague and ambiguous words and phrases to express themselves. Their words carry different meanings and never say what is meant. The expression “diplomat” is often used to describe someone who is devious and tricky, who would politely tell you one thing while in fact meaning something totally different.

Some diplomats and officials, however, seem to lack these qualities. Among these are two Westerners who did not resort to diplomatic language when it came to revealing the real intentions behind the invasion of Iraq.

Paul Nelson, who is the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Assistance, said following a visit to Iraq that the United States has put its hands on Iraqi oil. He added sarcastically that America would soon join OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld described Iraq as a country with no history of democratic tradition. Therefore, according to him, it will take time for democracy to take root. He said the reconstruction of the country could take years — which means the occupation of Iraq may last for some time, though it was originally thought it would only be a year or two.

The real intentions behind the invasion are becoming clearer. They might have been known before, but those who might have voiced them joined the American chorus and continued to doubt such motives. They insisted America did not want to control Iraq’s oil and that Washington would only remove the regime and then give the Iraqi people the chance to govern themselves. American blood is very precious in the eyes of the American government and is only spilled when the end will benefit the American people at present and in the foreseeable future.

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(Muhammad Al-Shibani is a Saudi writer based in Jeddah.)