March 18, 2003

Peace in our own time

RTE's Five Seven Live radio programme polled some Fianna Fáil backbenchers; should the US be allowed to use Shannon airport if war is declared?
The squirming was plain, even on radio. While some of them clearly didn't agree with the US position, they didn't actually want to do anything
about it.

Would you resign the government whip on a point of principle?


enquired the interviewer. Do people in Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party resign the party whip on a point of principle?


In the UK, a cabinet minister, Robin Cook, resigned on the principle that, as he did not agree with Britain's participation in a war against Iraq,
he could not take responsibility as a minister for the decision. The news that he is being lined up to be appointed as a European Commissioner later
this year somewhat robs his gesture of the moral weight that it might otherwise have. The only war fought in the EU will be against any employee
who tries to blow the whistle on the lavish expenses-fuelled lifestyle available (and the wholesale abuse thereof).



As for the war itself, there are many doubts. It is worth comparing this crisis to the dispute in Kosova - again the UN was paralysed by inaction, because a
permanent member of the Security Council (Russia) threatened to veto any resolution authorising force. It was only after the NATO military action that the
UN belatedly took part in the subsequent humanitarian task required to restore civil society. And yes, there were many civilian casualties. And yes,
the military action, and the subsequent nation building, seems to have been a success. Of course, there was a
bit more unity of purpose for that action. In fact, some of the doubters for the war in Iraq
were quite gung-ho when it came to bombing Serbs.


Posted by Monasette at March 18, 2003 10:21 PM
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