Iraq war is US' biggest mistake, says Kerry

Abu Dhabi - Discussing his memoir Every Day is Extra, Kerry noted the book chronicles the journey of the US from the end of World War II till date.

Former US secretary of state John Kerry noted that the US made biggest mistakes in Iraq and Syria, and that the Middle East has the potential to emerge as the richest region if the leaders share a common vision for the future.
Kerry - in a conversation with Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State, at the opening day of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair - said the world at large was missing leaders like those in the UAE.
"The UAE government is more in touch with people than my government is. You have leadership that works very hard to reach out and listen to people and respond to them," Kerry said on the main stage of the fair.
Discussing his memoir Every Day is Extra, Kerry noted the book chronicles the journey of the US from the end of World War II till date.
He said the US decision to engage in Iraq war led to the rise of extremism and stirred tensions in the region. "The war was one of the biggest mistakes the US has ever made in foreign policy. I opposed going into Iraq, except as a matter of last resort. It was not a war of last resort but a war of choice. I never had doubt that our military would win in a matter of days. I was worried about lack of legitimacy for the war based on if or not they had weapons of mass destruction and how you manage it afterwards."
Kerry pointed out that such lies have now become a norm in the US. "This is a very difficult time with social media and the Internet, and the ability of a lie to move around the world."
'Syria a failed orphan state'
Talking about the Arab Spring, he said the situation in Syria is a scar on international community and its unwillingness to take necessary steps for peace. Kerry said Bashar Al Assad repeated the mistake made by his father Hafez Al Assad to crush rebellion, and in turn has left a 'terrible scar' on the region.
He recollected that in 2012 and 2013, when Assad was particularly weak, the US with a stronger position could have negotiated a peaceful transition in Syria but didn't step in.
"It could have led to a better future for Syria but the US held back and Russia and Iran filled that vacuum. It was a critical moment in foreign policy."
He said Russia and Iran and others were not going to invest in rebuilding Syria. "Syria is a failed orphan state."
He noted a time when the US was close to a deal on Palestine-Israel issue.
"Neither leader was not in a position to do what they have to do politically to make it happen."
Kerry highlighted that with peace, stability and understanding among leaders, the region will see it emerge as the richest in the world. He said it's possible with 'sharing a vision of the future'.
How Vietnam transformed Kerry 
Kerry said his encounters during the Vietnam War made him respect life more than ever.
"I was skipper of a gunboat. We were constantly being ambushed. When I left the country, my boat had about 160 holes in it," he said and noted to have developed a sense of responsibility to ensure the lives of those lost in war didn't go in vain.
"I committed myself to a public purpose. I protested against the war. The war was based on lies. People had a theory that somehow America has to stop Communism in Vietnam or it was going to take over the whole region. It wasn't true. What we chose to do was divorced from history and reality."
Citing Sri Lankan terror attacks, Kerry said: "We are living in a particularly complicated time right now. You go to church on Easter Sunday and you think to return and celebrate a good lunch with your family and you are dead."
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi