After the vote in the Security Council to impose travel
restrictions on Iraqis responsible for non-compliance with UN
Resolutions (see item on p. 3) U.S. Ambassador to the United
Nations Bill Richardson told reporters, "The message has been
clear. Iraq must comply or face consequences. We are not
excluding any options, including military options."
Why would the U.S. make such a statement in the light of the
known fact that Russia, France, China and Egypt clearly said that
any further measures would have to be discussed by the Council
again and that the vote did not authorize the use of force or
they would not have supported it? "Military action is not going
to be supported by the Security Council," Russian ambassador
Sergei Lavrov said.
The arrogant statements of the U.S. imperialists are to
declare that they have the "right" to launch a military attack
against Iraq. They are aimed at convincing all powers to accept
the U.S. as the greatest superpower which can lay down the law
for the whole world. It is a warning by the U.S. to all who do
not want to buckle under.
The very conception that there is a superpower is to accept
that the world is divided between big powers and small powers and
that the world is governed by the manoeuvres between such powers.
Those who go along with the U.S. are to be accorded certain
advantages and those who do not are to be penalized.
Such a rendering of the world means that the agenda of the
twentieth century to establish equality between all countries,
big and small, is put in a subordinate position. It goes against
the most important requirement of international democracy to have
all countries have a say in the affairs which concern the
international community and, along with it, the basic law that
the prosperity and well-being of one must be the condition for
the prosperity and well-being of all, and vice-versa.
The entire approach of the big powers to the Iraqi issue is
reprehensible. To place such onerous conditions on a country
under the pretext of high ideals is criminal. The aims of the
foreign powers, especially the Americans, are highly suspect and
everyone knows it. Canadian workers and progressive forces cannot
accept such a conception of relations between countries. It not
only goes against their own interests but also against the
interests of the peoples of the world for progress and
prosperity.
TML DAILY, 11/97
Shawgi Tell
Graduate School of Education
University at Buffalo
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
