What a difference a day makes. 24 little hours. During a visit to Baghdad, new U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panneta has ignited concerns that Barack Obama's administration still carries much of the crazed ideology peddled by the infamous Bush government. Long gone are the encouraging slogans -- "Change we can believe in". The intoxicating ambience of optimism is no more. Instead, we are now witnessing a repeat performance. An encore. The much dreaded renaissance of gung-ho, erroneous misinformation appears to be materialising.
Back in 2003, the invasion of Iraq was sold to us by the oil-hungry American elites -- followed closely by our very own disillusioned government -- who stated, quite clearly, that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. Running parallel to that argument was the fictitious claim that by weakening Iraq you would directly destabilise al-Qaeda. This argument seemed to overlook the small, immaterial fact that al-Qaeda did not actually exist in Iraq until after the invasion. They only declared allegiance to Osama Bin Laden in October 2004.
$200 billion later -- and over 1 million deaths -- America, under President Obama, seems now more determined to realise its objectives than ever before. Allow me to be brusque; America invaded Iraq to ensure strategic access to one of the world's major sources of oil. But naturally, they cannot disclose this explicitly. Instead, in order to help vindicate one last push for 'victory', Obama has hired a former Nixon employee to help distribute warmongering sentiments. Leon Panetta, who worked under Nixon during the late '60s, has since been hard at work advocating the need for a sustained American presence in Iraq.
Just as the world began sighing in relief at the thought of troops finally beginning to withdraw from the Middle East, Panetta has single-handedly managed to rouse an unpleasant air of alarm. Surely it is inconceivable that the U.S. has learnt nothing from the dastardly days of George W. Bush. During his inaugural speech at Camp Victory -- addressing approximately 100 U.S. soldiers -- Panetta revealed that his main aspiration, and therefore, America's main aim, was to universally defeat the network of al-Qaeda. This confession seemingly echoed many of the Bush administration's foreign policy ambitions.
Pacifists and anti-war activists could merely wince at their screens as Panetta outwardly asserted that the invasion of Iraq was legal, justified and necessary. Panetta declared, "The reason you guys are here is because on 9/11 the United States got attacked". He continued, "3000 Americans got killed because of al-Qaeda and we've been fighting as a result of that". Excuse me? Not another American official trying to make an outrageous connection between Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden. This is old news. The assertion is ludicrous. The logic somewhat flawed.
Had the invasion solely been concerned with tackling al-Qaeda, why not attack Yemen -- widely seen as al-Qaeda's centre -- or Pakistan? Invading on this basis also leads me to probe, why invade Afghanistan? Bin Laden, however dexterous, could not have been in two places at once. The whole argument is blemished and riddled with fallacies. And just as we began forgiving America for its willingness to illegally assault another nation, we have been reminded of the dark, menacing beliefs of some of America's most influential individuals.
Misguided hope it may have been, but there is no denying that Obama's entrance to the White House brought about expectation and hope. A kind of optimism not seen since John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961. Previously disenfranchised Americans voted in their millions, mainly in the hope of improving American relations abroad. Obama was America's saviour. But how times have changed, and by "change" I do not allude to the amendments Mr Obama had ardently pledged on his campaign trail. Oh no. I am instead referring to the feeling of pessimism currently sweeping across the States.
Having promised to improve America's reputation around the globe, brand Obama has hit something of a snag. Wise masses around the world have woken up to his empty promises and hollow rhetoric, leading one Guardian reader to accuse Mr Obama of being "all mouth and no trousers". In fact, it is hard to see exactly what Obama has achieved in office thus far. While some supporters keenly point to his minor accomplishments domestically, it does not conceal his bad -- some would say, atrocious -- record internationally. Hence, to strengthen his hand, he has called upon a hardline Republican crony.
Mr Panetta is undoubtedly an intelligent guy. But make no mistake about it, his time at the CIA leaves little to be desired. He went on record as saying that U.S. drone strikes were the "only game in town" with regards to tackling al-Qaeda militants. He oversaw Operation Neptune Spear; the infamous raid that resulted in the assassination of Osama Bin Laden. Whilst this may be considered a triumphant chapter in his not so flawless career, the fact that the raid has been deemed illegal and was considered an "unauthorised unilateral action" leaves Mr Panetta open to serious scrutiny.
As well as the inaccurate remarks regarding al-Qaeda, Panetta's ill-timed condemnation of Iran further highlights his inept capabilities. Not only were his comments inopportune, they were wildly provocative, and likely to heighten what are already strained relations. His statements regarding Iran's role in the Shia uprisings in Iraq were not supported by any concrete evidence and offered additional proof that President Bush's destructive qualities still shroud the White House. Surely President Obama's judgement must be called into question.
The drums for war appear to be banging again. Will it be an inevitable conflict with Iran? Perhaps it will be Pakistan? Make no mistake about it, another war shall transpire, and when it does, it will not be pretty. The hiring of Leon Panetta has underscored America's craving for further military encounters. President Obama may preach peace and democracy, but in truth, he is merely veiling an underlying aspiration to leave a dent on history -- being America's first black president is simply not enough. Time is ticking, and with victory looming at next years presidential elections, Mr Obama shall have an extra 4 years to enact his vision.