The Arab League Summit
I have to say, I'm rather taken aback by all the attention given to the upcoming Arab League Summit here in Baghdad. Some might dismiss the Arab League as largely irrelevant, relying on the issuance of anodyne and useless resolutions that historically criticize Israel for some military activity or other, and more recently criticize fellow Arab regimes for humanitarian nightmares (though those aren't quite useless--they give other states with more resolve the cover they need to actually do something). But here in Iraq, and in Baghdad in particular, the symbolic importance of hosting the conference is immense.
Just today the official insignia of the 2012 summit was released. Armored cars have been purchased. Much news centers on whether Iraq's President will be healthy enough to make it to the opening ceremonies. There will be a curfew in place at night in Baghdad during the time of the summit. There's even a national holiday declared for its opening day. Honestly it feels a bit like the Olympic Games in a host city with all the media attention and hype given to it. (And, like the Olympic Games, there are the grumblers too, who want to know precisely why it is that their roads are blocked, curfews are imposed, and state money is wasted on armored cars, for the supposed "privilege" of having all of these people come to Baghdad. A bit like me every single time the Pittsburgh hockey team plays a home game and I cannot get downtown to the theater).
The reasons are I suppose obvious enough, even if it is fascinating to see. It's being considered a step toward normalcy. Yes some of that is a facade, the participants will land in the airport, get shuttled straight into the Green Zone on one of Iraq's safest roads, the road to the airport and see little else of Baghdad. (Want to make a road safe in a country? Let it be one everyone uses, and allow it to develop into the most dangerous road, as Baghdad's airport road once was. That tends to focus minds.)
Still, the Arab League would not have met here several years ago. Nor would many states even open embassies. And needless to say we're probably not at the top of the list of Olympic cities I'm guessing, or Asian Games or anything else. But this is an international meeting, it is one of some regional standing and after years and years of instability and then finally some progress (frustrating, two steps forward and one back, and in the face of existential dangers, but progress nonetheless), we can host this. And that, it seems, means quite a bit.
HAH
Just today the official insignia of the 2012 summit was released. Armored cars have been purchased. Much news centers on whether Iraq's President will be healthy enough to make it to the opening ceremonies. There will be a curfew in place at night in Baghdad during the time of the summit. There's even a national holiday declared for its opening day. Honestly it feels a bit like the Olympic Games in a host city with all the media attention and hype given to it. (And, like the Olympic Games, there are the grumblers too, who want to know precisely why it is that their roads are blocked, curfews are imposed, and state money is wasted on armored cars, for the supposed "privilege" of having all of these people come to Baghdad. A bit like me every single time the Pittsburgh hockey team plays a home game and I cannot get downtown to the theater).
The reasons are I suppose obvious enough, even if it is fascinating to see. It's being considered a step toward normalcy. Yes some of that is a facade, the participants will land in the airport, get shuttled straight into the Green Zone on one of Iraq's safest roads, the road to the airport and see little else of Baghdad. (Want to make a road safe in a country? Let it be one everyone uses, and allow it to develop into the most dangerous road, as Baghdad's airport road once was. That tends to focus minds.)
Still, the Arab League would not have met here several years ago. Nor would many states even open embassies. And needless to say we're probably not at the top of the list of Olympic cities I'm guessing, or Asian Games or anything else. But this is an international meeting, it is one of some regional standing and after years and years of instability and then finally some progress (frustrating, two steps forward and one back, and in the face of existential dangers, but progress nonetheless), we can host this. And that, it seems, means quite a bit.
HAH
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