How many of you feel that...

[John Carson]

Michael A. Barnhart wrote: IMhO the problem also includes Frances lack of appreciation for the US can not keep its troops there indefinitely. With their statements of no matter what is offered we will veto, put the US in a position of either, yes disregarding the current feelings or walking away. I am not saying the US did not make some stupid statements and helped encourage the situation to develop the way it did but I do not feel other UN members are without fault. I think France is being scapegoated. Most of the world's governments and the citizens in virtually every country except the US and Israel are opposed to this war. France and most other countries wanted the inspection process to continue for a period of months. The various resolutions proposed by the US were all variations on "we'll go to war on Wednesday instead of Tuesday" and no-one with any understanding of the position of those opposing the US should have imagined that the revised resolutions were any more acceptable than the one first proposed. Robin Cook, in his resignation speech, summed it up well: France has been at the receiving end of bucket loads of commentary in recent days. It is not France alone that wants more time for inspections. Germany wants more time for inspections; Russia wants more time for inspections; indeed, at no time have we signed up even the minimum necessary to carry a second resolution. We delude ourselves if we think that the degree of international hostility is all the result of President Chirac. The reality is that Britain is being asked to embark on a war without agreement in any of the international bodies of which we are a leading partner - not NATO, not the European Union and, now, not the Security Council. John Carson

[ColinDavies]

Yes, I agree with your corrections of my statement. France seems to have committed a lot of self serving posturing. Regardz Colin J Davies

Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

I'm guessing the concept of a 2 hour movie showing two guys eating a meal and talking struck them as 'foreign' Rob Manderson wrote:

[Michael A Barnhart]

I do not take your response as addressing my issue. I believe that the only reason Saddam is doing anything is due to troops being at his door. Now my problem is how long does (did) the world expect the US to hold those troops in position. I have never heard when will we (The UN) consider enough is enough. Or those that do not want war are happy with the US being committed to hold thousands of troops indefinitely. This is not an option from both the US military point of view and the Arabic nations that I imagine do not want massive US troops on their soil. If the French felt months was reasonable then they should have offered a compromise with action on Jan 2004 (or 2005). They refused to do that as far as information I have read indicates. ""

[John Carson]

Michael A. Barnhart wrote: If the French felt months was reasonable then they should have offered a compromise with action on Jan 2004 (or 2005). They refused to do that as far as information I have read indicates. France-Germany-Russia proposed the development of a strict timetable for inspections but the US wasn't interested. France-Germany-Russia were never willing to accept that war would be automatic; they insisted that a final decision be made after the evidence was in. That is only sensible in my view. Link 1[^] Link 2[^] John Carson

[Michael A Barnhart]

John, I will have to say we just disagree. Your first link only addresses inspector reports. That still leaves the indefinite obligation of the presence of US troops. Your second reference was only given after the ultimatum for UN action and it was finally offer to start talking. To late. :(( If only a month or few weeks sooner. John Carson wrote: That is only sensible in my view. As nice as that would be, The US could not commit troops indefinitely and I still see it that way. Now please look back at my original reply. I do feel many are at fault. Can we at least agree that we will guarantee failure if we only focus on the faults of each other. We need to focus on what we all need to do in the future to make a better world and try to influence our leaders to go down that path. ""

[John Carson]

Michael A. Barnhart wrote: Your first link only addresses inspector reports. That still leaves the indefinite obligation of the presence of US troops. The first link includes: "Within the framework of resolutions 1284 and 1441, the implementation of the program of work shall be sequenced according to a realistic and rigorous timeline". I don't see how this amounts to an "indefinite obligation of the presence of US troops". What has happened is that the US has only given Iraq's disarmament limited and occasional attention over 12 years and now it has switched to giving it all its attention. Now that something is actually happening, the US has lost all patience. When resolution 1441 was passed, it was not even clear that the inspectors would be allowed into Iraq. They have been allowed in and with much better access than previously; progress is being made. The weapons inspectors themselves have said that they need months to complete their job. Leaving the US forces in place for several months would be costly and inconvenient but is doable. But the US just isn't interested. Michael A. Barnhart wrote: Can we at least agree that we will guarantee failure if we only focus on the faults of each other. We need to focus on what we all need to do in the future to make a better world and try to influence our leaders to go down that path. Well, we can agree on that abstract statement of principle, but we probably won't agree on its practical implementation. As an Australian, I am happy to say that the Australian government's actions in this matter have been foolish. But that is probably not the concession that you are looking for. As for France et al., I am willing to accept that their motives are less than pure, but I cannot fault their actual actions in the UN on this issue. When you get right down to it, I don't think humanitarian motives loom very large in the actions of most governments. Iraq is the worst offender among the nations currently in focus, but the US has a long history of cynical actions with regard to human rights, including its support for Iraq in the 1980s and the current relationship of the US with Turkey, which uses torture and extra-judicial killings in dealing with its Kurdish population. A lot of US citizens see the good domestic human rights record of the US and are then apparently unable to see that its foreign policy record is very different. I think patriotism is the enemy of humanitarian policy. To "ma

[Michael A Barnhart]

John Carson wrote: "Within the framework of resolutions 1284 and 1441, the implementation of the program of work shall be sequenced according to a realistic and rigorous timeline". An undefined rigorous timeline means what? Another 12 years? or longer. IMO undefined equal indefinite. John Carson wrote: but I cannot fault their actual actions in the UN on this issue. Except the position the US was put it was one that could not be maintained per our disagreement above. So it was a guarantee of failure of the UN. (and yes there are many sides to this.) ""

[Michael A Barnhart]

John Carson wrote: To see the world through unbiased and unblinkered eyes is the first requirement for progress. Well, I have to say that is beyond human ability. I am biased and so are you. We can try to be objective but that is the best we can achieve. John Carson wrote: Iraq is the worst offender among the nations currently in focus, but the US has a long history of cynical actions with regard to human rights, including its support for Iraq in the 1980s and the current relationship of the US with Turkey, which uses torture and extra-judicial killings in dealing with its Kurdish population. Can you understand the conflict I can see in this statement? The US is not handling their involvement in Iraq because we did not involve ourselves in other countries. Yes I do understand your comments to cynical actions. To me it has always been an issue of how do we handle the biggest current issue. We felt that Stalin’s Soviet Union was the greatest threat to the world in the late 40's and 50's (and I strongly agree with that) and were will to do something about it. That meant involving ourselves in Israel and Iran. And the dominos start. As for Turkey, I would love to see then not involved for the issues you state. Lets give the Kurd's a homeland. Although I am disappointed that we must do so. Why do the existing nations not allow them fair treatment and representation as is. I think the lack of understanding by the US citizens of how much other people truly hate each other is one cause in the cynicism you see. ""

[Jamie Hale]

Ok, I thought it was the case that the US hasn't being paying their UN bills for years? Did they finally pay up? I have no evidence of this except a memory of a CBC report or seven from a few years back... J

"You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant."

[Jamie Hale]

There are still thousands of people who die of atrocities every year. Sounds to me like two organizations might not be enough. J

"You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant."