Does The West Want Iraq or Hussein?

The global disdain against Saddam Hussein is reaching fever pitch, with the, by now, support of the United Nations Security Council latest resolution UN Security Council resolutions relating to Iraq Iraq Programme Oil for Food .

As put so succinctly by B Emmott, who has four principal arguments against Iraq`s invasion. 1) Why single Saddam out, when there are plenty of despots to choose from. 2) UN double standards by ignoring Israel. 3) Iraqi Civilian deaths caught up in any conflict outweighs any benefits and fourthly that force should only be used in self defence. (B Emmott, 25-11-2002) "If Saddam steps out of line we must go straight to war,"The Guardian, London.

B Emmott could also have added the Trans Caspian Pipeline issue, which competes with Iraqi oil. The Ilisu Dam issue, which threatens Iraq`s water supplies through the Tigris and Euphrates being controlled inside Turkish borders, and the Iraq Programme Oil for Food sanctions programme which has, by UN admission killed in excess of 500, 000 Iraqi children Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq (CASI).

Solutions

The question therefore, is not one of who is right and who is wrong, but of what is the solution, and by what means. The last time we saw a "rightful" search of a single person/group, it involved the demolition of an entire country - Afghanistan. If Saddam Hussein is to be deposed, then why not an International Arrest Warrant (IAW), with powers to secure alive or dead?

Given the powers of an IAW, a small force of elite squads could be dispatched to execute a warrant, minimising the need for civilian casualties, and the necessary rebuilding of infrastructure seen so abysmally in Afghanistan. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) would deal with all international related issues in conjunction with the UN, in a civilised manner of democracy that we espouse. In return, Middle Eastern and Asian countries who have an affinity with Saddam Hussein could see justice as opposed to convenience being served, minimising any future representations of terror in Saddam`s name.

Alternative Solution

World Citizen Foundation: resources

Copyright S Coleman 2002 25 November 2002. Last updated 15:12:03

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