Mark Steyn: Avoid the UN quagmire in Iraq-Two things the Iraqis don't need: Kofi Annan and France

Jerusalem Post ^ | 4-8-03 | Mark Steyn

[Snake65]

Steyn is so to the point you have to wonder how many of him could dance on the head of a pin.

[Constitution Day]

Wake up! ping...

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[EternalVigilance]

I fear that neither Tony Blair, nor George W. Bush, are listening to Mark Steyn.

[7thson]

Yes, but I heard Bush on the radio this morning that he wants the UN involved. To sound like a liberal - maybe he is stupid!!! How many times do you have to be whacked upside the head to know this is a no-win scenario? Is this his idea or is he trying to stroke Blair until we are through with the military operation in Iraq? It makes me wonder sometimes.

[Reb Raider]

I agree with this article completely, but I am still confused as to what direction we will take with the U.N. One week it sounds like the U.N. will not be important, this morning from Ireland Bush is backing up Blair that the U.N. with have a "vital" role to play. I cannot think of any success they have had other than humanitarian which is not going to be acceptable to France,Russia,Germany et al.

The only thing I can figure so far is that they are counting on the new Iraqi govt. deciding for themselves they don't want to do alot of business with the countries who turned their back on their suffering. Bush is extremely loyal and I am scared he will go against his gut instincts ,to a point, to try and help out Blair. I will pray they have an ace up their sleeves that doesn't involve rewarding countries devoid of moral courage.

[walden]

Bush is going to placate the internationalists by allowing the U.N. to hand out food. I wouldn't worry.

[Valin]

"France," he said, "will not accept a resolution of this nature tending to legitimize the military intervention and giving the American and British belligerents the right to administer Iraq."

Yeah and just what are you going to do about it..stamp your little feet, hold your breath. Sounds to me like someone is in full pout mode.

And now another view.
Scenes From the Liberation
See if you can read this, from an Associated Press Nasiriyah dispatch, without choking up:

Lance Cpl. Brian Cole, 20, of Kansas City, Kan., was bowled over by the 7-year-old girl who handed him a Christmas card with this painstakingly written text: "Thank you for liberate us. And thank you for help us. You are a great army."

"That made my day, after sitting out in the heat all day. It made it seem worthwhile," said Cole.

The Guardian reports from Basra on another letter of liberation:

As one British tank approached the centre of the city, a young Iraqi handed a letter to the crew written in red ink on the pages of an exercise book. In broken English, it read: "I cannot describe how great and human the action you are achieving is. Since we are the inhabitants of this city, we may know better than you about the progress you have achieved."

And the Washington Post reports from Karbala:

A gathering of senior Army officers on Highway 9 in the city late this afternoon drew an upbeat crowd of more than 100, who alternated expressions of appreciation with petitions for help. Among the shouts from the crowd:

"Thank you very much, Mr. Boss."

"We love you United States."

"Saddam donkey."

"Night and day, no water."

"Hospital. No electricity, no food, no medicine."

"Very happy. I love you George Bush."

A horse-drawn cart rolled past. "Hi, boys," the driver called to heavily armed soldiers forming a loose defensive perimeter. Buses, taxis and smiling pedestrians passed the intersection, many carrying white flags made of tattered rice bags.

This just in, from Time magazine's Joe Klein: "As for the Iraqi people, it just isn't clear that they're particularly happy about all this."
http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110003308

[Rummyfan]

The UN will be involved - they can dispense Tootsie Roll pops to needy children.

[Savage Beast]

"Fortunately, Chirac is now in the terminal stage of Gallic hauteur"

"If the UN has a say in Iraq, the first thing it will probably do is put Saddam back in power."

Hahahaha! Hahahahahahaha! Oh, Mark! You are so right and so to the point! Hahahahahaha! But please... Hahahahaha! Don't write anything else for a few days...'til my side stops hurting! Hahahahahahahahaha!

[KarlInOhio]

Bush is going to placate the internationalists by allowing the U.N. to hand out food

I hope not too many Iraqis starve in this attempt before we take even that job back from the UN.

[AMNZ]

After the member states of the coalition have paid the price in dollars and lives, the non-coalition U.N. members want to participate in the running of Iraq. They have not yet paid for a ticket. The U.S., Britain, Australia, and other coalition members should demand that non-coalition U.N. members bear their proportionate share of the burden of freeing Iraq - before they can participate in its rebuilding. If they don't buy the ticket, they don't get to board.

As for the establishment of the government of Iraq. Non-coalition members should be eligible for a limited number of seats at the table for consultation and recommendation. But, only coalition members should have a vote.

In Desert Storm we blew the negotiations of the surrender. We must not do it this time.

[headsonpikes]

bump.

Thanks for the anecdotes; very moving.

[MattinNJ]

In Desert Storm we blew the negotiations of the surrender. We must not do it this time.

FDR also gave away our victory at Yalta. I wouldn't worry. Bush semed to say that the "vital role" the U.N can play would be to send food and medicine. The U.N will have no say in the reconstruction.

[XJarhead]

The UN doesn't solve problems, it manages them in perpetuity

That line is the real gem of the article. In ten words, Steyn explains exactly why this cannot be turned over to the U.N.

[expatpat]

Don't worry. Bush will allow the UN to help out with the humanitarian side, but will certainly not allow the UN any management role in the reconstruction of Iraq's government.

[Mark de New Brighton]

The UN doesn't solve problems, it manages them in perpetuity; it turns them into Les Miserables come back two decades later and it's still running. Even without the corruption and drugs and child-sex rings, it's not an impressive record. Any German contemplating the Palestinian "refugee camps" now celebrating their golden jubilee ought to be grateful his country enjoys the straightforward benefits of victors' justice. Or to put it in the only image the BBC and The New York Times apparently understand: the UN guarantees quagmire.

Steyn thereby punctures a million pretensions in less than 100 words. Go home, Kofi. Sit down, Jacques. Game over.