Posted on 04/07/2003 5:44:31 PM PDT by smalltowns
U.N. Go Home From the April 14, 2003 issue: As it was in Kosovo, the "international community" is a threat to postwar Iraq. by Stephen Schwartz 04/14/2003, Volume 008, Issue 30 THE WAR FOR IRAQ'S LIBERATION began on March19. The fourth anniversary of the NATO intervention in Kosovo was March24. Kosovar Albanians, a majority of whom are Muslims, lead the Islamic world in their enthusiasm for America. But they hate the United Nations and the European meddlers in whose hands their fate was largely left after NATO's bombing ended. And Kosovar journalists are now warning the Iraqis of the fate that might await them if the U.N. is entrusted with their country's reconstruction. My own experiences in Kosovo after the NATO intervention may shed some light on the feelings of these journalists. I remember one night in particular, in the capital, Prishtina, in July 2000. Late in the evening, I had gone to a favorite café that served roast chicken. I had just finished my meal when the electric power went off throughout the province--a frequent occurrence. A groan swept through the little restaurant, because the place had no gasoline generator, and without power it couldn't cook, or serve food, or make coffee, or even get its dishes washed. Candles were lit on the patio, and a few hardy souls--Albanians, not foreigners--sat and smoked, drinking wine and brandy. The owner and waiters came out and joined them. I got up and began making my way home, through the ancient Ottoman streets, with no light to guide me. I knew the town pretty well, and felt safe there; my only real worries were the potholes, other unseen obstacles, and the task of getting up the steps of my apartment building without tripping. My leg still hurt from an incident on another night without power, when I had thought something down in the darkness, pressing against my leg, would give way, and found out the hard way that it was a steel stanchion; I'd come away with deep cuts, and limped for a month. (full editorial online)
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
No question the International "Peace" movement will now try to exploit the global momentum raised against US/coalition bringing down Saddam's regime- to push for UN control of Iraq reconstruction. The first article is an eyewitness account in Kosovo of UN mismanagement, incompetence and corruption.
Even better, the Iraqis themselves should tell the UN to stay out of their country. The head of the new provisional government should personally go the UN in NYC and tell them why in front of the world media.
Then President Bush can just shrug and say the people have spoken. He can say the same thing when Iraq withdraws from the UN.
Ok, but I can dream...
It's already begun. IMO, the whining from Jaques and Putin, and Gerhardt's sudden enthusiasn for regime change in Iraq, is part of that.
The UN can have some humanitarian bone from the coalition, but the president has repeatedly stated that only the coalition should have a say in post Saddam reconstruction.
Great dream. I believe I'll join you.
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