Annan Warns Against Iraq War Without U.N.

reuters ^ | 3/10/03

[knak]

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) warned on Monday the legitimacy of military action taken against Iraq (news - web sites) without U.N. Security Council backing would be "seriously impaired."

Annan pleaded for unity in the Security Council which is due to vote this week on a new draft resolution authorizing war against Iraq.

"The members of the Security Council are now faced with a grave choice," Annan told a news conference. "If they fail to agree on a common position and action is taken without the authority of the Security Council, the legitimacy and support for any such action would be seriously impaired."

The United States, Britain and Spain have proposed a new U.N. resolution that sets a March 17 ultimatum for Iraq to comply fully with U.N. demands that it give up its suspected chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Iraq denies it has such weapons.

To be approved, the new U.N. resolution must win at least nine votes on the 15-member Security Council and there must be no veto from any of the five permanent members: the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.

The latter three remain opposed to early military action, demanding diplomacy and weapons inspectors be given more time.

Annan appealed to the Security Council to come together despite their public differences over the looming crisis in Iraq. "The council has been divided before yet it has managed to come together," he said.

Britain and the United States are keen to press for a vote this week, giving Saddam just seven days to prove he will disarm or face war.

Washington has said it is prepared to act even without U.N. approval.

"There are concerns about the long term consequences of war in Iraq. One must have no illusions about what war means," Annan said, warning that military action would have serious implications for the region and the rest of the world.

"The better the consensus, the better the chance we have to come together again and deal effectively with other burning conflicts in the world, starting with the one between the Israelis and the Palestinians," said Annan, who is in The Hague (news - web sites) for peace talks to reunite Cyprus.

Britain said on Monday it may modify the draft resolution in an attempt to gain a critical mass of support on the Security Council.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said London and Washington could set out a list of detailed disarmament moves for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) to fulfil by March 17 if he is to avoid war, and officials said that deadline could be extended a little.

[knak]

are we going to ammend this thing again?

[Semper Paratus]

I'll gave this warining as much respect as the warning he gave Clinton concerning Kosovo.
NONE

[Highest Authority]

Coffee Anus should head back to his fourth world nation and stay there. The un is irrelavent ..... period!!!

[AgThorn]

"If they fail to agree on a common position and action is taken without the authority of the Security Council, the legitimacy and support for any such action would be seriously impaired."

TRANLATION:
"If they fail to agree on a common position and action is taken without the authority of the Security Council, WHO will ever believe the U.N. is worth bothering with in the future!!! Help! My job is on the line here!!

[finnman69]

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) warned on Monday the legitimacy of military action taken against Iraq (news - web sites) without U.N. Security Council backing would be "seriously impaired."

ROFL. Kofi, you crack me up. We have all the legitimacy we need.

[Peach]

What crap this is. Today I heard a little tidbit on Neil Boortz show: Of the 26 aggressive military actions taken since the inception of the UN, only one country has asked for an received approval from the Security Council. The United States has asked for approval three times: the Korean War, the first Gulf War and the war in Afghanistan in '02. Russia, China and France have each acted aggressively against other counties without asking for approval from anyone!

[CatoRenasci]

The right of the self-defense is guaranteed under the UN Charter. We don' need no steenk'n rezolushuns to put paid to to Saddamned.

[The_Victor]

Annan pleaded for unity in the Security Council which is due to vote this week on a new draft resolution authorizing war against Iraq.

Translation: "Please don't make me irrelevant."

[Luna]

So who made you President of the World, Kofi? Are you going to tell us next that we can't defend ourselves against home intruders? Who are you to tell America what she should do when it comes to her secutiry? You, like the UN, are fast becoming a non-entity.

[A Vast RightWing Conspirator]

Russia, China and France have each acted aggressively against other counties without asking for approval from anyone!

Maybe that's why we (pre-Kosovo) used to be 'the good guys', not the Evil Empire? Something to think about.

[rudypoot]

""If they fail to agree on a common position and action is taken without the authority of the Security Council, the legitimacy and support for any such action would be seriously impaired."

How about, "If they fail to agree on a common position and action taken without the authority of the Security Council, the legitimacy and support of such a Security Council would be seriously impaired."

[Calpernia]

I wonder if it is relevant at all that Kofi Annan (I like your translation better) is the one who originally recommended Blix to his position:

http://www.iraqwatch.org/un/unmovic/s-2000-60.pdf

[ZULU]

At this point, I'd say there are more dangerous enemies out there than Iraq and Al Quaida - like the French, the Germans, the U.N. (God forbid this feckless bunch have any more authority than it currently abuses), and the left-wing liberal DemocRAT apologists for Saddam and Al Quaida.

THe Danny Glovers and Babs Streisands and Jeannine Garolfalos in our midst are FAR more dangerous than ANY foreign enemy could EVER be!

[cardinal4]

My supervisor was credited with the funniest statement of the day last week when he stated," If it wasnt for the UN, people like Kofi Annan would be in a grass hut somewhere swatting Tsetse flies,"

[DearAbby]

Peachy keen, couldn't agree with you more. Since when does the USA, a soverign nation need mutterings from Russia, Germany, France or any other country to protect its people.

I guess most of the protesters of the war in this country, have forgotten or have put it away, the horror of the towers, the Cole, the embassies, pot shots at our military in Afaganstain and killing them. Sliting the throat of our reporter.

The demoncrats have no foothold so they go day by day, bashing our President. Denying that terrorism has a back burner, oh yea!!! Did we not capture the number 2 terriorist to bin laden, or was that a pipe dream? Is the President a decent, moral God fearing man; you bet he is and Thank God for his leadership.

[TankerKC]

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) warned on Monday the legitimacy of military action taken against Iraq (news - web sites) without U.N. Security Council backing would be "seriously impaired."

Oh, I don't know. A JDAM on your head hurts whether the UN sanctioned it or not. ;)

[Boundless]

> ...the legitimacy and support for any such action
> would be seriously impaired.

Annan's merely mistaken about whose legitimacy and
support are at stake here.

> "The better the consensus, the better the chance we
> have to come together again and deal effectively with
> other burning conflicts in the world,

Where is the evidence that the UN has any current
credibitlity in effectively dealing with such conflicts?

> ...starting with the one between the Israelis and the
> Palestinians,"

Seems like North Korea is a bit more important. Of
is Kofi just trying to remind us of his true priorities?

If the UN can't even control a bunch of thugs with
homemade bomb belts, why would anyone engage them
to deal with thugs building chemical, bio and nuclear
weapons?

[Mark17]

Annan Warns Against Iraq War Without U.N.

Who?

[stumpy]

Aw come on Koffi, step up to the plate and warn if the U.N. doesn't aggree with us that the U.N. and all member states that do not support our action will boycott the U.S. and absolutely REFUSE TO ACCEPT U.S. AID DOLLARS. Be a man and give us that ultimatum. Please, Please.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

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