🚀 go-pugleaf

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 11:51:26 -0500 (EST)
From: Lagun Batzuen <lagunak@panix.com>
To: F. Stuart Ross <fsross@mailbox.syr.edu>
Cc: Ireland_list@email.rutgers.edu
Subject: Re: Ex-president 'troubled' by raids on Iraq (Irish News)


On Thu, 17 Dec 1998, F. Stuart Ross wrote:

>
> *********************
> THE IRISH NEWS
> *********************
> Friday, 18 Dec., 1998
>
>
> Ex-president 'troubled' by raids on Iraq
>
> By Michael O'Toole
> Dublin Correspondent

[erase]

> "It is primarily in the hands of Saddam Hussein, as with the other
> And former taoiseach Albert Reynolds yesterday added his voice to the
> condemnation of the attacks on Iraq.
>
> Mr Reynolds was at the centre of diplomatic moves last month to avoid
> US strikes on Iraq and visited the middle eastern state three weeks
> ago, where he met Saddam Hussein.
>
> He said: "I'm as surprised as everyone else was because all the efforts
> that all of us made back in November to get inspections resumed were
> successful.
>
> "I certainly don't know what happened to spark it off this time.
>
> "I would prefer the talking take place rather than the war. I would
> advocate always that people take risks for peace and not for war.
>
> "I just don't know what the justification for last night's decision
> is."

Well, maybe here are some clues:

"Butler's conclusions were welcome in Washington, which helped orchestrate
the terms of the Australian diplomat's report. Sources in New York and
Washington said Clinton administration officials played a direct role in
shaping Butler's text during multiple conversations with him Monday
at secure facilities in the U.S. mission to the United nations. Spokesmen
for Butler and the Clinton administration declined to comment on those
conversations."

This paragraph comes from an article by Barton Gellman published in the
Washington Post.

The whole article: Iraq Hasn't Cooperated, Arms Inspector Reports
By Barton Gellman
Wednesday, December 16, 1998; Page A01
http:www.washingtonpost.com

> Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams also called for an end to the raids.
>
> He said: "The UN should resume with the process of dialogue as quickly
> as possible in order to move beyond this crisis and find a long-term
> solution to the situation in the gulf.''

I agree with Mr. Adams on this %100 but let's not forget that
1) the UN is dominated by the U.S.;  2) since the Reagan years, the
U.S. has officially re-interpreted Article 51 of the UN Charter designed
by to justify its repeated reliance on force, and that has become more
ludicrous in the Clinton years. Ambassador Albright: "the U.S. will act
unilaterally when we must in an area important for our interests"; and
3) the U.S. supported Saddam during his worse crimes to "preserve
stability", and now wants him out, killed, and then Washington would have
the best of all worlds: an iron-fisted military junta without Saddam.

Most of the international community opposes a military solution to the
crisis, yet the U.S. repeatedly stated it would act unilaterally if
necessary -- only its British lieutenant has offered unconditional
support. I was and still am concerned with U.S. intervention and role in
Britain's Stormont accord (and Basque leaders seeking U.S. involvement in the
current Basque pseudo peace process) because of, among other things, its
insistence on its right to use force (euphemism for state terrorism) whatever
international law requires, and whatever international institutions
decide. George Shultz on Iraq: "Negotiations are a euphemism for
capitulation if the shadow of power is not cast across the bargaining
table" condemning those who advocate "utopian, legalistic means like
outside mediation, the United Nations and the World Court."

If Saddam still is there is because the U.S. preferred Saddam to the
rebelling forces in 1991 and refused to do anything with them before or
after the Gulf war, virtually excluding them from U.S. media, apart from
marginal dissident publications.

In my opinion, the war against Iraq could be stopped if there was
substantial popular pressure from within the U.S.,  Europe, and
Britain. But right now it doesn't seem likely. Maybe I'm too pesimistic.

Jokin Z.
Anai Artea - Boston

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