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"...even the wicked get worse than they deserve." - Willa Cather, One of Ours

Friday, June 04, 2004

Iraq Interim Govt wants US to stay - for now

Reuters
Iraq’s Foreign Minister has told the United Nations Security Council that his new government wanted United States-led troops to stay, but said Baghdad needed some control over how long they would remain in the country.

However, Hoshiyar Zebari disagreed with France, Germany, China and others who want a fixed deadline for the force’s withdrawal, subject to renewal.

He also opposed a veto over US-led military operations.

“I stress that any premature departure of international troops would lead to chaos and the real possibility of a civil war in Iraq,” he said.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell earlier made clear Iraq would not be given a veto over US troop movements.

In an interview with the Middle East Broadcasting Centre, Mr Powell said: “You can’t use the word ‘veto’.”

“There could be a situation where we have to act and there may be a disagreement, and we have to act to protect ourselves or to accomplish a mission,” Mr Powell said...
There is no way that the US can give in on this issue. The generals wouldn't allow it. There would be mass resignations of Army generals if they were told that Iraqis could veto military operations they might undertake to defend themselves from attacks by the Baathist and Al-Mahdi guerillas.

At this point I doubt that the French will back down either. Therefore I expect that there will be no UN authorizing resolution anytime soon.

Bush doesn't really care one way or the other. He only goes to the UN on these issues in order to be polite and keep Powell happy.

The UN will agree to allow Bush to do what he wants, or they won't. In either case he will go ahead with his plans, just like always.

The UN's credibility is already a joke when it comes to security issues. This will just make the UN more irrelevant than it already is.

Bush holds the whip hand here, and Chirac will never be able to make him comply with his wishes. I wonder how many defeats the French will have to suffer at the UN Security Council before they start dealing with the realities of the current international political situation.
Posted by: Zayphar / 6/04/2004 12:44:00 PM
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