UN Security Council Votes 15-0 for Iraq Resolution

A year and a bit ago, a UN Security Council resolution on Iraq that passed 15-0 would have been a great achievement. The one passed yesterday was less impressive. In essence, it draws a line under what happened and offers everyone a fig leaf. In other words, the world has agreed to mutual surrender.

For the Americans, the resolution was a tacit admission by the White House that the period since "major combat" ended has been a futile effort at best. There were no Iraqis waving flowers and sweets at the Marines. The fairy tale wasn't so. Getting out without losing all credibility (just some) now looks like a fine enough objective. Multi-lateralism is in vogue after all. Shame it came too late to save the Spanish regime that backed Mr. Bush.

For the obstructionists in Europe, the vote was a chance to say "I told you so," but Europe is too weak and too indecisive to really have rubbed salt in the wounds. France and Germany get to pretend that their voices matter, and Russia gets to act like a western democracy even if Tsar Vladimir of the Putin dynasty rules. The same goes for the UN itself -- a body incapable of dealing with Rwanda, and now western Sudan, is offered a chance to rubber stamp reality with its seal of approval.

The Iraqi government, such as it is, now gets to pretend that it rules a sovereign nation despite the continuing occupation. Merely because the occupation legal authority is gone means nothing - 135,000 US troops plus foreign auxiliaries means the province of Further Arabia still is in the empire, and will be until they leave.

But for the people who now really matter in the future of Iraq, the militia and other guerrillas, nothing has changed. Perhaps, 100,000 of them will disarm or join the security forces as suggested a day or two ago. Perhaps, they will keep fighting against the "puppet regime" in Baghdad. Regardless of their choice, it remains the same as before the vote, proving that it was merely window dressing all along.


© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.


Home