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Missing the Point: Bush's Speech to the U.N.
by Ted Galen Carpenter - 09/21/02

Ted Galen Carpenter is vice president for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute and is the author or editor of 14 books on international affairs including the new book, "Peace & Freedom: Foreign Policy for a Constitutional Republic."

In his speech to the U.N. General Assembly, President Bush challenged the world body to enforce the various resolutions that it had passed since 1991 requiring Iraq to unconditionally accept the dismantling of its chemical and biological weapons and nuclear research facilities. If the U.N. proves unwilling or unable to enforce those resolutions, Bush indicated that the United States would take action on its own.

Bush's speech was a classic case of missing the point. The pertinent issue is whether Saddam Hussein poses a serious threat to the security of the United States. If he does, this country is justified in taking whatever steps are necessary to terminate that threat. Whether the U.N. approves of Washington's course is irrelevant. Although it might be desirable to have the U.N.'s endorsement, America's security cannot be held hostage to the vagaries of multilateral diplomacy.

posted by A Curmudgeon 1:46 PM