Under The Same Sun: Fox to Guard Henhouse; Decision Subject to Peridic Review by the Fox

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May 25, 2004

Fox to Guard Henhouse; Decision Subject to Peridic Review by the Fox

According to the current U.S.-UK draft Security Council resolution, the U.S.-led occupation forces cannot be asked to leave Iraq unless the U.S. agrees to leave.

The draft calls for a “review” of the status of the troops at the end of 12 months -- or at anytime at the request of the “Transitional Government of Iraq.” What it does not say is that this so-called review is meaningless since the review is to be conducted by the UN Security Council.

Because, of course, ::drumrolls:: U.S. has a veto over all Security Council Resolutions.

In other words, the reviewer is the reviewee.

It’s not like the U.S. is denying this state of affairs, even if the media is not emphasizing this point:

Deputy U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham acknowledged there was no authority for Iraq to ask foreign troops to leave. But, quoting earlier remarks from Secretary of State Colin Powell, he said, "The United States has said we will leave if there is a request by the Iraqi government to leave."

In other words, just trust us, except we won’t recognize your right not to.

Here’s the relevant passage:

6. Reaffirms the authorization for the multinational force under unified command established under resolution 1511 (2003), having regard to the letter referred to in preambular paragraph 10 above, decides that the multinational force shall have authority to take all necessary measures to contribute to the maintenance of security and stability in Iraq including by preventing and deterring terrorism, so that inter alia the United Nations can fulfill its role in assisting the Iraqi people as outlined in paragraph five above and the Iraqi people can implement freely and without intimidation the timetable and program for the political process and benefit from reconstruction and rehabilitation activities, and decides further that the mandate for the multinational force shall be reviewed 12 months from the date of this resolution or at the request of the Transitional Government of Iraq;

Note that, not so incidentally, these forces have the “authority to take all necessary measures” for whatever they define as security and stability in Iraq. This authority includes measures aimed at deterring terrorism, which is such an undefined concept that one could plausibly charaterize anything under that heading.

Yeay, full sovereignty.

Posted by zeynep at May 25, 2004 02:21 PM

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Comments

This is worse than you say. It represents an effort to obtain Security Council authorsation for the invasion ex post.

The truth is that the United Kingdom is in serious legal difficulties, having invaded without such authorisation.

The trail will lead directly to Blair, and thence to his "client". The Queen.

John

Posted by: John Cleary at May 25, 2004 05:28 PM

On the nose, Zeynep

Be honest, could it be any other way ... its just one more nail in the Empire edifice.

Unless *we* force action to the contrary, the U.S. will maintain a controling presence in the region until such time as the oil runs out.

Posted by: Gpilot at May 25, 2004 05:44 PM

Presumably, this also gives them the authority to put all those troublesome Iraqis on reservations - heck, it worked real well here in the good ol' USA. The bonus would be that the Iraqis would die off or succumb to despair even sooner than the natives here did, since reservations would have to be out in the middle of the desert, with little water or food and no work or game to hunt. (It worked so well here that most Americans don't know and probably wouldn't care that they live on stolen land and benefit daily from the death and destruction wreaked by the "US" on those other poor backward brown-skinned savages, the original "Americans" - some of whom were my ancestors.)

Yeah, let's put 'em all on reservations - maybe then the price of gasoline will come back down, and everyone can get on with the business of poisoning each other and the rest of the life on this miserable planet with the trail of toxins emitted by their SUVs and their local electrical generating plants.

Perhaps it's true that everyone gets what they deserve in the long run; it's just really sad that we've wasted so many lives and resources in pursuit of the last of the oil. As Bush said, the "American way of life" is being threatened. It just wasn't for ANY of the reasons he put forth, and this draft Security Council resolution is obviously the dog just trying to guard his (our?) bone.

How can you doubt that the oilmen who've taken over the Whitehouse have anything but your best interests at heart? I mean, you gotta have a car to drive, right? And gasoline to make it go? I'm sure most of you won't hesitate to hit the gas station in your pollutermobile and "fill'er up" with some of that ill-gotten Iraqi gasoline and oil, paid for with children's lives. How many lives are all of you willing to trade for your next tank of cheap gasoline? Would you still oppose the war and the occupation if it meant ten bucks a gallon for gasoline tomorrow? What are you willing to do to avoid having to use public transportation or, god forbid, walk? To keep your lights and refrigerator working for cheap?

And what are people in the USA gonna do when gasoline, diesel fuel, and heating oil get REALLY expensive? Walk? Grow vegetables? Move south? I'm not sure I care anymore, though I do hope it will mean fewer idiot drivers to contend with.

In the meantime, please pay attention and watch out for me when you're driving, I'm the

Pedestrian
(you know, someone who actually walks!)

Posted by: pedestrian at May 27, 2004 02:15 AM

Posted by: online blackjack at January 24, 2005 03:58 AM

Under The Same Sun

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May 25, 2004

Fox to Guard Henhouse; Decision Subject to Peridic Review by the Fox

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