評論
打印
The toppling of Saddam's statue: how the US military made a myth
薩達姆雕像的倒塌：美軍如何制造神話
In 2003, the destruction of one particular statue in Baghdad made worldwide headlines and came to be a symbol of western victory in Iraq. But there was so much more to it – or rather, so much less
2003年，巴格達一座特殊的雕像被毀，上了全世界新聞的頭條，成為了西方在伊拉克的勝利的象征。但是，事情遠不止如此——或者更確切地說，遠不及如此
by Alex von Tunzelmann
作者：亞歷克斯·馮·藤澤爾曼
The abiding image of the Iraq war in 2003 was the toppling of a statue of the country's dictator, Saddam Hussein. It was an image relayed across the world as a symbol of victory for the American-led coalition, and liberation for the Iraqi people. But was that the truth? Putting up a statue is an attempt to create a story about history. During the invasion of Iraq, the pulling down of a statue was also an attempt to create a story about history. The story of Saddam's statue shows both the possibilities, and the limits, of making a myth.
2003年伊拉克戰爭最令人印象深刻的就是該國獨裁者薩達姆·侯賽因的雕像的倒塌。這一幕被傳遞到世界各地，象征著美國領導的聯軍的勝利，以及伊拉克人民的解放。但這是事實嗎？建造一座雕像的目的是試圖創造一個關于歷史的故事。在入侵伊拉克期間，推倒一座雕像也是試圖創造一個關于歷史的故事。薩達姆雕像的故事顯示了創造神話的可能性和局限性。
Operation Iraqi Freedom, as it was called by those running it, began on 20 March 2003. It was led by the US at the head of a "coalition of the willing", including troops from Australia, Poland and the UK. President George W Bush claimed that the aims of the operation were clear: "to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people". He continued: "The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder … It is a fight for the security of our nation and the peace of the world, and we will accept no outcome but victory." This justification for war was hotly disputed at the time, and has been ever since.
伊拉克自由行動開始于2003年3月20日。它是由美國領導的一個“自愿聯盟”，包括來自澳大利亞、波蘭和英國的軍隊。美國總統喬治·W·布什聲稱，此次行動的目的很明確：“解除伊拉克的大規模殺傷性武器，結束薩達姆·侯賽因對恐怖主義的支持，解放伊拉克人民”。他繼續說道：“美國人民以及我們的朋友和盟友不會聽任一個用大規模殺傷性武器威脅和平的非法政權的擺布……這是一場為我們國家的安全與世界和平而戰的戰爭，我們只接受勝利。這場戰爭的正當性在當時引起了激烈的爭論，此后一直如此。
