Spotlight on Middle East
Legalising an illegal war!
President Bush said -- 'We shall prevail'. He prevailed not only over Iraqi regime, but also over the UN and the international community. It is only arms that matter in this unjust world. The UNSC has approved the resolution, sponsored by the US and the UK, though with 90 amendments, to lift 13 years' sanction against Iraq. Apparently, France, Germany and Russia could not resist any more; after all these countries do have economic and financial interest in Iraq and in its reconstruction deals. The present idea is -- 'put Iraqi issue behind' and move forward and bring a sort of unity in the world body. But at what cost? A sovereign country with its vast treasure of civilization stands virtually destroyed. Should the world accept it as a fait accompli? The resolution recognised the US and the UK as occupying forces but did not condemn the illegal war against the expressed will of the international community. The occupying forces have also been given the status of a political body that can rule Iraq initially for 12 months, which obviously will be extended. This only opened the way for other mighty powers to go to war against any sovereign state and get such a war and consequent occupation legalised by the same UNSC. This has created a dangerous precedence in the world.
The sanction was lifted without necessary certification from the UN Security Council to the effect that Iraq does not have any weapons of mass destruction. The adoption of the said resolution meant that Iraq did not have any weapons of mass destruction. This makes the war all the more illegal as the most important cause i.e. Saddam's possession of weapons of mass destruction was not there. In other words, the threat of weapons of mass destruction did not exist.
The Chief UN Weapons Inspector Hans Blix said ".....I am beginning to suspect there possibility was none........The main justification for the war was weapons of mass destruction and it may turn out that in this respect the war was not justified". All intelligence reports from both the US and the UK were apparently prepared with a view to justifying the attack. In the process the people and the parliamentarians of these two countries were misled. As the recent reports show there is already some severe tension between CIA and Pentagon on these issues. The Democrats have already started questioning the validity of such intelligence reports and whether White House "manipulated" the intelligence reports to justify the war. But 'what is done is done' -- who bothers? Iraqis have suffered and will continue to suffer.
But this would have, as various reports show, has a serious and devastating consequential effects on the global peace and security and particularly on the occupying countries -- the US and the UK and also on the collaborating states like Australia and Spain. It is unfortunate that the people of these countries are likely to suffer because of the ill conceived actions of their leaders. The world stood against the war, but Bush-Blair did not listen. Indeed, Al-Qaeda has come out stronger after Iraq war. It has now very wide support base not only in the M-E but also in many countries around the world. This is most unfortunate. The very countries which declared war against international terrorism have themselves torpedoed the entire international war against terrorism.
The US and the UK are now the "occupiers" of Iraq. The world should note the bizarre political developments in the M-E. Israel is the "occupier" of the large parts of West Bank and Gaza and US, Israel's greatest friend and protector is the present occupier of Iraq. The world has been watching identical behaviour of all these "occupiers" in the M-E -- killing, assassinations, destruction of homes and public buildings (except the oil Ministry building in Iraq) road blocks, humiliating the people of the land by blind-folding them -- often detaining them for weapons search. All these are openly taking place in Iraq and West Bank and Gaza.
President Bush has achieved the military victory, but made the Americans and America's interests all over the world extremely vulnerable. 'Americans have lost their freedom' in the process of bringing so-called freedom to Iraqis. Terror attacks level is going up. One hopes that the Americans who supported President Bush on Iraq attack will ultimately see the madness that led to this unnecessary and illegal war and the evil that is bound to be unleashed. Al-Qaeda has already expanded its terror net as the ground in the M-E and elsewhere has been made fertile by these military excesses of the US and UK and their abuse of human rights in the process.
To limit the damage the US and the UK should have agreed to vacate Iraq without any delay. The UN could have taken over the responsibility of bringing law and order through UN peace keepers. The very announcement of the departure of US and UK forces within weeks and taking over by the UN peace keepers would have created different environment in Iraq. In any case, US and UK forces failed totally to restore law and order in Iraq. The world watched with horror the "could not care less" attitude of the mighty US and UK forces with devastating killing power in hand, while the looting was going on. Despite repeated request, Iraq's Museum was not protected, but Oil Ministry was fully protected and remained untouched. As various reporters show -- this clearly reflected the real intention of the US and the UK in Iraq.
The US and the UK have exposed themselves too nakedly to the world and in the process made them the targets of all terror attacks. Indeed, the take-over by the UN might have indirectly legalised the war but most importantly, the Al-Qaeda would not have been able to cash in so quickly from the devastation. The opportunities have been lost.
America's neo-colonial approach to the world issues would not work in the 21st century as opposite forces are too dangerous and devastating. They are indeed too many to be wiped out. The world must find out different means to deal with them; military force is no answer. In order to deal with the situation effectively, the UN General Assembly and not UNSC has first to set the definition of terrorism and apply it across the board regardless of whether states, organisations, groups, or individuals are involved.
The actions by US Administrator Paul Bremour for dissolving Iraqi military, government ministries, Iraqi political Baath Party and all government establishments for the purpose of establishing American government will only create more anger and frustrations among Iraqis. Indeed such actions will firmly establish Al-Qaeda in Iraq and other parts of Middle-East. When death is of no concern to the Al-Qaeda and other extremists, American might obviously means nothing to them. They appear to be more determined than Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld and Blair-Straw axis. Only victim would be the innocent civilians regardless of nationalities. For the sake of the civilized and peace-loving people on earth all savage wars and occupations must stop.
Muslehuddin Ahmad is a former Secretary and Ambassador and founder president of North South University. He is also the Chairman of Civic Watch-Bangladesh.
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