„In Iraqi Kurdistan, the semi-autonomous region of Iraq where I have lived and worked for the last four years, signs of support for the US and UK can be found in the strangest of places and in the most unique forms. From stars and stripes taxi seat covers to a copy of Shakespeare’s greatest works nestled in the corner of a refugee‘s tent, it is clear that our two English speaking nations are still held in high esteem. Iraq‘s Kurds harbour a very unique position in the world – many of them even claim to love Bush and Blair for the war of 2003, something that is rarely admitted nowadays. So why is it then, that when most of the world seems to be itching for damning evidence against the ‚invaders‘ to be presented by the Chilcot Inquiry, this old and diverse corner of the world primarily views the UK and US as saviours? (…)
It is the legacy of the war that that we are living through now. There is no doubt that the mistakes our governments made, whether regarded as liberating or occupying forces, allowed for the exploitation of a colossal power vacuum, which in turn led to fertile grounds for the rise of IS that we see today. But amidst the violence and the catastrophic collapse of statehood, there is a corner of the country that will remember the names Bush and Blair for different reasons.“
(Tom Robinson: „ ‚Amrika good, Britania good!‘ – Iraq’s Kurds see Tony Blair and George Bush as a saviours, not invaders“)
