purchase of Iraqi oil. The resulting drop in oil supplies quickly led to
higher prices at gas stations all across the country.
The vote was unanimous in the 15-member body. The new program—which
raises the permitted oil revenue from $2 billion to $5.256 billion—does not
go into effect until Annan evaluates and approves an Iraqi plan for how the
goods should be distributed.
Iraq has expressed irritation over the plan and delayed the previous
versions of it, citing what it called infringements on its sovereignty. UN
officials insist on the right to strictly monitor the aid given under the
plan to make sure it reaches those who need it.
U.S. opinion polls show support for attacks on Iraq remains strong,
hovering in the 60 percent range, but a disastrous “town hall” meeting in
Ohio on Wednesday suggested it was equally fragile.
State Department spokesman James P. Rubin said families were not being
ordered to leave Israel and Kuwait, but that they were being allowed to do
so over concerns they may consider it prudent.
Iraqis have in the past threatened to attack both Israel and Kuwait in
the event that Iraq is attacked. The United States this weekend is beefing
up forces in Kuwait, and Israel has been urgently distributing gas masks.
“The probability of Iraq resorting to the use of chemical or
biological weapons is remote, but it cannot be excluded,” Rubin said.
U.S. officials acknowledge that any attack on Iraq could hit hard at
civilians there.
As a result of UNICOM work the following data concerning Iraqi
military arsenal were received.
|Missiles |UN verified as |UN believes may exist. |
| |destroyed | |
|Missiles |817 |2 |
|Warheads |30 |45 |
|Launchers and launch |75 |0 |
|pads | | |
|Chemical Weapons |
|Munitions (filled and |38,537 |31,658 |
|empty) | | |
|Precursor chemicals |3,000 tons |4,000 tons |
|Equipment for |516 |459 |
|production | | |
|Biological Weapons |
|Although the Al Hakam factory, capable of producing anthrax and botulinum|
|toxin, was raised, these and other agents have not been accounted for. |
5.2.3. Blitzkrieg1
The events that took place December 16, 1998 shocked the mankind. US
and British forces launched a “strong, sustained” series of airstrikes
against Iraq early Thursday, targeting military and security installations
throughout the country. Pentagon[1] sources said about 200 cruise missiles
were fired from ships and manned fighter bombers in the first wave of what
will be an “open-ended’ attack, designed to degrade Iraq’s ability to
produce nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. Clinton accused Hussein
of failing to live up to his commitment to allow unrestricted access to UN
weapons inspectors. This is how chief CNN International Correspondent
Christiane Amanpour reported from a rooftop in downtown Baghdad: “An orange
plume of smoke wafted over the city after one of the loudest bursts.”
Allied missiles struck more than 50 separate targets” during the first wave
of bombing that began overnight on Wednesday.
The military strikes – which came at night – followed a roughly 14-
month period during which Baghdad officials periodically said they would no
longer cooperate with the weapons inspectors. During that time, Baghdad
also repeatedly demanded that crippling international sanctions, imposed
after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait prior to the Gulf War, be lifted. The most
recent escalation in the ongoing weapons standoff came in early November.
At that time, Western powers threatened military strikes against Iraq. The
threat was removed on November 14, when Baghdad agreed to cooperate fully
with the weapons inspectors. But, US and British officials warned Baghdad
that future airstrikes could come without warning should Iraqi leadership
again refuse to cooperate with UNSCOM. To back up their threat, Western
powers left in place the military might they had positioned in the Persian
Gulf, within striking distance of Iraq. It was that military weaponry that
was used on Thursday to conduct the strikes against Iraq. A stray missile
from the allied attack on Iraq crashed into a southwestern Iranian border
city Khorramshahr causing no casualties but prompting a strong diplomatic
protest from Tehran.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Henry Shelton said the
sites hit during the first bombing wave included weapons of mass
destruction and barracks belonging to the Iraqi Republican Guard. US and
British officials have said they will continue bombing Baghdad until they
have achieved their goal which is not to destabilize the regime but to
decrease his capacity to threaten his neighbours.
World community’s response was not unanimous. Many Russian politicians
expressed their negative attitude to the bombing. Boris Yeltzin met with
Evgeni Primakov, Russian Prime-minister, Nikolai Bordyuzha, Security
Council secretary and Anatoly Kvashnin, General Staff commander where he
claimed that Russia would demand conducting the UN Security Council summit
to consider the situation in Iraq. Egor Stroyev, Federation Council
chairman said that the US and British bombardment of Iraq is a strike not
on Iraq but on public opinion and above all on UNO. Russian Foreign
Minister Igor Ivanov expressed his point of view saying that military
action ceasing would allow to renew the political process of Iraqi
settlement. Moreover, he said that the report was made at the time when
Iraqi leaders approved of their readiness to collaborate with UNSCOM.
Russian Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov will return to Moscow for
“consultations”.
The only country that fully backed American and British bombing of
Iraq was Japan. Keidzo Obutti, the Prime Minister of this country has
already received acknowledgement from the US president. According to his
opinion Iraq didn’t fully cooperate with UN officials. Japan that is
connected with the USA by economic and military union as well as strategic
partnership always supports everything US does.
Tony Blair, the British prime minister is expected to be backed by the
majority of deputies to the House of Commons. He said the attack, named
Operation Desert Fox, was necessary because Hussein never intended to abide
by his pledge to give unconditional access to UN inspectors trying to
determine if Iraq has dismantled its biological, chemical and nuclear
weapons programs. From morning some protesters-natives from Arab countries
– Syria, Pakistan and Iraq – held demonstrations in Trafalgar Square and
near prime minister’s residence situated in Downing street, 10. British
people also fully agree with their government decision. Russian position is
discussed by mass media. Moscow is said to have too little assets to
seriously affect the situation. Today “Times” wrote: “Washington made it
clear that the arguments of the country whose economic situation fully
depends on financial assistance of Western countries won’t stop him.
Paris is reserved in its comments connected with the Iraqi bombing.
France always adhered to diplomatic crisis regulation.
NATO Ministers of Defense have gathered in Brussels to discuss their
position regarding the situation in the Persian Gulf. Nobody have expressed
their wish to participate in military actions.
The UN Security Council held a special debate Wednesday evening on the
military action. Diplomats said the meeting of the 15-nation council would
enable members to voice their views on the crisis, but no council action
was expected in the form of a resolution or other decision. UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan expressed regret the standoff had not been resolved
diplomatically. Richard Butler, UNSCOM chairman, ordered UNSCOM staff out
of Baghdad. The entire staff was evacuated before dawn on Wednesday.
Iraqi officials said at least 25 people had died and 75 were wounded
in the Iraqi capital alone during two days of airstrikes.
CONCLUSION
The UNO, established to replace the existing League of Nations, faces
very difficult situation in connection with Iraqi bombardment. The
beginning of effective Iraqi resistance came with a rapidity which
surprised us all, and we were perhaps psychologically unprepared for the
sudden transition from peacemaking to fighting. Some say that Clinton
wanted to delay the floor debate and vote on whether he should be
impeached over his actions stemming from an affair with former White House
intern Monica Lewinski. Some questioned America's moral right to bomb Iraq,
while others demanded that this time the US do the job properly and get rid
of Saddam Hussein.
But by doing so the USA and Britain have violated the UN Charter
according to which: "All Members shall refrain in their international
relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity
or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent
with the Purposes of the United Nations." [ ]
Many political leaders doubt the necessity to preserve the UNO as
there were drastic actions made by it. I think that the main reason for it
is that the USA is the main financial source of the UNO and the latter in
its turn is not willing to lose it.
In some way, my work can be continued as the events that happen in the
world change the situation greatly. The future will show whether the UNO
will be preserved or whether it’ll lose its unique character.
REFERENCES
1. Basic Facts about the UN. Sales No E.95.1.31;
2. Bush G., Scowcroft B. Why We didn’t Remove Saddam. Times, June 21, 1998;
3. Contreras Joseph, Watson Russel. Saddam Old Tricks. News Week, June 15,
1998;
4. Documents of the United Nations Department of Public Information;
5. Dr. Jan Azud Csc. The Peaceful Settlement of Disputes and the UN.
Bratislava: Publishing House of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, 1970;
6. Inside UNSCOM: The Inspector. Transcript of interview with Charles
Duelfer, Deputy Chairman of the UN Special Commission to Iraq.;
7. Iraq Bars UN Inspection Teams From Searching For Weapons. Copyright
1998. The Associated Press.;
8. Malt Bill G. Parade of the Dead Babies. Times. August 7, 1998;
9. Nelan Bruce W. Selling the War Badly. Times, March 2, 1998;
10. Osmanczyk Edmund Jan. The Encyclopedia of the United Nations and
International Relations. 2nd ed. New York: Taylor and Francis, 1990;
11. Peiser A., Serber M. U.S. History and Government. New York: Asmo School
Publications, Inc., 1992;
12. Ritter Leaves Baghdad After Weapons Inspections. CNN News Release.
March 10, 1998;
13. Saddam Hussein Freezes co-operation with UN inspectors. CNN News
Release. August 5, 1998;
14. Scott Ritter Testifies In Senate. CNN News Release. September 4, 1998;
15. The UN Charter;
16. The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: Field Enterprises, Inc.
17. U.S. Reacts Sternly to Iraq’s Rebuff of Inspectors. CNN News Release,
December 9, 1998;
18. U.S., Britain Bombard Iraq. CNN News Release, December 16, 1998;
19. United Nations Iraq-Kuwait observation mission;
20. Wedeman Ben “Iraqis protest, but against what?”;
21. Western Forces Pound Baghdad in Second, “Stronger” Assault. CNN News
Release, December 17, 1998;
Appendix A
CHARTER OF THE UN
PREAMBLE
WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED
to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in
our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and
worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of
nations large and small, and
to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the
obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law
can be maintained, and
to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger
freedom,
AND FOR THESE ENDS
to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as
good neighbours, and
to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security,
and
to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of
methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest,
and
to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic
and social advancement of all peoples,
HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives
assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full
powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter
of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization
to be known as the United Nations.
Appendix B
The specialized agencies
The International Labour Organization (ILO) formulates policies and
programs to improve working conditions and employment opportunities, and
defines international labour standards as guidelines for Governments;
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) works to raise levels
of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity
and food security, and to better the conditions of rural populations;
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) promotes
education for all cultural development, protection of the world's natural
and cultural heritage, press freedom and communication;
The World Health Organization (WHO) coordinates programs aimed at solving
health problems and the attainment by all people of the highest possible
level of health: it works in areas such as immunization, health education
and the provision of essential drugs;
The World Bank group provides loans and technical assistance to developing
countries to reduce poverty and advance sustainable economic growth;
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) facilitates international monetary
cooperation and financial stability, and provides a permanent forum for
consultation, advice and assistance on financial issues;
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) sets international
standards necessary for the safety, security, efficiency and regularity of
air transport, and serves as the medium for cooperation in all areas of
civil aviation;
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) establishes international regulations for
the organization and improvement of postal services, provides technical
assistance and promotes cooperation in postal matters;
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) fosters international
cooperation for the improvement and use of telecommunications of all kinds,
coordinates usage of radio and TV frequencies, promotes safety measures and
conducts research;
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) promotes scientific research on
the atmosphere and on climate change, and facilitates the global exchange
of meteorological data and information;
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) works to improve
international shipping procedures, encourages the highest standards in
marine safety, and seeks to prevent marine pollution from ships;
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) promotes international
protection of intellectual property and fosters cooperation on copyrights,
trademarks, industrial designs and patents;
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) mobilizes
financial resources for better food production and nutrition among the poor
in developing countries;
The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) promotes the industrial
advancement of developing countries through technical assistance, advisory
services and training;
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an autonomous
intergovernmental organization under the aegis of the UN, works for the
safe and peaceful uses of atomic energy;
The UN and the World Trade Organization (WTO), the major entity overseeing
international trade, cooperate in assisting developing countries' exports
through the Geneva-based International Trade Centre.
Appendix C
"I want an understanding that will help my mission and make it
successful"
Kofi Annan
United Nations Secretary General
Kofi Atta Annan, current Secretary General of the United Nations, is a
native of Ghana -- at the time of his birth, still a British colony called
the Gold Coast. He was born April 8, 1938, in Kumasi, the descendant of a
prominent family of paramount chieftains of the Fante people.. Annan began
his education at a Ghanaian university, then completed a degree in
economics at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. He pursued graduate
studies in Geneva at the Institut Universitaire de Hautes Etudes
Internationales. Again in the United States, Annan earned an M.S. in
management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
By 1971, Annan had joined the United Nations.
His experience includes positions as Assistant Secretary General for
Program Planning, Budget and Finance, head of human resources and security
coordinator, director of the budget, chief of personnel for the High
Commission for Refugees and administrative officer for the Economic
Commission for Africa.
He was named Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations on
March 1, 1993. In the peacekeeping post he did, however, take on a number
of delicate and complex jobs. He was sent to Iraq to negotiate the release
of hostages and the safe transport of a half-million Asian workers who had
become stranded in that area. As representative of the UN Secretary General
in Bosnia., he negotiated his way among the four powers who had intervened
in Bosnia -- the United States, Britain, France and Russia.
On the evening of December 13, 1996, Annan was named Secretary General
of the United Nations -- the first black African to hold the job.
In the future, Annan will grapple with the problem of gaining support
for the United Nations from the organisation's sceptics, especially the
U.S. Congress.
Appendix D
|Membership and | | |
|Presidency of the | | |
|Security Council in | | |
|1998 | | |
|Month |Presidency |Membership Term Ends |
|January |France |Permanent Member |
|February |Gabon |31 December 1999 |
|March |Gambia |31 December 1999 |
|April |Japan |31 December 1998 |
|May |Kenya |31 December 1998 |
|June |Portugal |31 December 1998 |
|July |Russian Federation |Permanent Member |
|August |Slovenia |31 December 1999 |
|September |Sweden |31 December 1998 |
|October |United Kingdom |Permanent Member |
|November |United States |Permanent Member |
|December |Bahrain |31 December 1999 |
| |Brazil |31 December 1999 |
| |China |Permanent Member |
| |Costa Rica |31 December 1998 |
Appendix E
The United Nations was established in the aftermath of a devastating
war to help stabilize international relations and give peace a more secure
foundation.
The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded five times to the United
Nations and its organizations.
Appendix F
Country Profile
Iraq
| |General |
| |Size: |437,072 sq. km |
| |Location: |Middle East |
| |Population: |21.4 million |
| |Government: |Republic |
| |Leader: |President Saddam |
| | |Hussein |
| |People |
| |[pic]Languages |Arabic, Kurdish |
| | |(official in Kurdish|
| | |regions), Assyrian, |
| | |Armenian |
| |Major Religions |Muslim 97% (Shi'a |
| | |60%-65%, Sunni |
| | |32%-37%), Christian |
| | |or other 3% |
| |Ethnic groups |Arab 75%-80%, |
| | |Kurdish 15%-20%, |
| | |Turkoman, Assyrian |
| | |or other 5% |
| |Growth rate |3.69% |
| |Birth rate |43.07 births/1,000 |
| |Death rate |6.57 deaths/1,000 |
| |Fertility rate |6.41 children/woman |
| |Male life expectancy|65 |
| |Female life |68 |
| |expectancy | |
| |Infant mortality |60 deaths/1,000 live|
| |rate |births |
| | | |
| |Economy |
| |[pic]Labor force |4.4 million |
| |Unemployment rate |N/A |
| |Inflation Rate |N/A |
| |Gross domestic |$41.1 billion (1995 |
| |product (total value|est.) |
| |of goods and | |
| |services produced | |
| |annually) | |
| |Budget |N/A |
| |Debt |$50.0 billion (1989)|
| |Exports |N/A |
| |Imports |N/A |
| |Defense spending |N/A |
| |Highways |45,554 km (1989) |
Appendix G
Saddam Hussein
President of Iraq
-----------------------
[1] Blitzkrieg (Ger.) – lightning war, traced back to WW II
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