The WERE involved in passing a 2nd resolution (which they decided not to). They didn't participate in the action (the war), so really have little say in the matter.
That resolution did NOT authorize war.
Wrong, the inspectors were kicked out in 1998,
No pal...you are the one wrong here. We PULLED inspectors in 1998. We now know that Iraq had NO WMDs by then. Think about the failure there.
I consider that a major screw up of the UN, and the leaders of the "don't give support" campaign were France.
France, Germany, Russia, China...four major world powers....in the final resolution which failed, we could not get support from Mexico, Canada, even Turkey refused to support the war....as a couple of other countries smaller countries which should have been easy to entice into signing on. To say France only is to give in to the hysteria. Furthermore, France argued for more time to inspectors. Please learn the facts.
1- Keeping the US military indefinitely in the Middle East to enforce a UN resolution is impractical.
Really? What exactly do you think we did and continue to do in NK, not to mention dozens of other outposts in the world.
If the UN is going to pass resolutions like 1441 which imply serious consequences, they should act on their word. Hans concluded that he could not say Saddam has complied, so the UN should been UNITED in enforcing their resolution, and celebrated the removal of one of the worst dictators on the planet. The failure to do so is, in my opinion, a failure of the UN, and is one of the causes of the current quagmire in Iraq.
1- The resolution did not authorize war. The US failed to live to the requirements of 1441 when it cut short the inspector's process, in the midst of which iraq was destroying MISSILES.
2- Hans Blix strongly argued for more time. Read his latest writings.
3- Bush had decided to attack iraq long before 1441. Key members of his adminstration had urged an attack long before he was even elected. They were looking for reasons before he came to power. The UN was made a pawn by Bush and the neocons in the administration. Members nations are not stupid...they knew they were being used. Bottom line, as a result, the quagmire is a US problem. The boys dying are Americans. We will be there, not on the border, but in a far more hostile environment, for a long time. And the longer we stay, the more hated our troops will be. The exit strategy can't be anything more than a "reasoned" withdrawal at some point in the future.
You can complain all you want about France and Germany, but this remains our problem, thanks to lousy diplomacy by bush and co.
Al |
