War In Iraq
By Yuba Nath Lamsal
THE war in the Persian Gulf has begun with US-led allied forces firing cruise missiles and bombs in certain key strategic targets of Baghdad on April 19, 2003. The allied forces consisting of about 300,000 American and British military personnel have also taken control of several strategic points of Iraq and are firmly moving towards Baghdad. The attacks came soon after the expiry of deadline set by US President George Bush for Iraqi President and his family to leave Iraq.
Objective
The objective of the attacks is to disarm Iraq and Saddam Hussein, who reportedly possess Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) including biological and chemical weapons. It is necessary to disarm and weaken Iraq militarily to ensure safety and security of small and militarily weak nations in the Persian Gulf.
The fear of Iraq's military muscle flexing grew in the Middle East especially after Baghdad invaded Kuwait in 1991. The US-led joint military assault backed by the United Nations had pushed back Iraqi troops and restored Kuwait's sovereignty.
President Bush has clearly said that the strike in Iraq was not guided by the motives of territorial gains but to ensure security of Iraq's small neighbours by undermining Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war.
War is, no doubt, dirty, tragic and terrible. War by no means is good for human civilization, development and prosperity. However, sometimes, war is necessary to establish peace, security and just order in the world. The Iraq war is a case in point.
International terrorism has posed a serious threat to world peace and security of the people. Iraq is believed to have strong links with the terrorist groups like Al Queda that engineered deadly attacks in the World Trade Center and Pentagon in the USA in September 2001. If weapons of mass destruction fall into the hands of tyrants and terrorists, human beings' future would hang in danger and the world can never feel safe and secured. In such circumstances, elimination of deadly weapons and disarming Iraq is necessary for the cause of world peace, security and civilization. Thus, Iraq war is not a choice but a compulsion and necessity.
Iraq continued to defy international laws and United Nations resolutions. Saddam Hussein ordered Iraqi forces to invade Kuwait and annexed it. It was forced to withdraw following the massive attacks by the US-led allied forces. It was Iraq that first attacked Iran. Saddam Hussein has brutally suppressed and killed tens of thousands of Kurds and others, who do not support him and his dictatorial regime in Iraq.
The United Nations asked Iraq to disarm itself and destroy weapons of mass destruction. It was the duty of every member of the United Nations to fully implement the UN resolutions. However, Saddam Hussein never obliged to the UN resolutions. Iraq did not even fully and sincerely cooperate with the United Nations Weapons Inspection team but resorted to tactics of time buying. Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix told the Security Council recently that Iraq could not assure the weapon inspection team that it did not possess weapons of mass destruction.
Iraq's crushing defeat is imminent, as it cannot match with the military and technological supremacy of the United States and Britain. The US and Britain have already deployed and moved more than 300,000 troops equipped with ultra modern and sophisticated military hardware. But Iraq has a total of 350,000 troops, who still depend on conventional weapons and warfare.
This war could be a turning point in the history of world's balance of power. The world appears to be divided over Iraq war. Japan, Australia, Spain and many countries of Asia and Europe have clearly sided with America and Britain, while Germany, France, Russia and China have firmly stood against the war. Given this divided reaction and position, the war on Iraq appears to be a beginning of change in the international power equation and emergence of bipolar world.
Another hope that the war may bring among people of Iraq and the world is that Iraqi people may be relieved of the tyranny and democracy may first time in its history be established. It could also be the beginning of the democratisation in the Arab World, as democracy, human rights and open society are a distant reality in the Arab world.
The problem started in 1991 when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Iraq's close links with Al Queda and other international terrorist groups further terrified the world. Though the US-allied forces pushed Iraqi soldiers back from Kuwait, America, Britain and entire world could not foresee the danger that Saddam Hussein may pose to the world. The disarming of Iraq should have been carried out immediately after it was ejected from Kuwait. Had Iraq been disarmed and Saddam Hussein been weakened or overthrown ten years ago, the present problem would definitely have not surfaced and the world would not have to use so much energy and resources now.
Historic
Now America and Britain must not make another mistake as they did in 1991. Disarming Iraq must be complete. People of Iraq also must be relieved of Saddam's tyrannical rule and democracy and human rights restored in Iraq. That would not only ensure peace, security and stability not only in Iraq but also in the whole Middle East and the world. If Democracy and human rights established in Iraq, it would be a historic beginning for the democratisation in the Arab world.
THE war in the Persian Gulf has begun with US-led allied forces firing cruise missiles and bombs in certain key strategic targets of Baghdad on April 19, 2003. The allied forces consisting of about 300,000 American and British military personnel have also taken control of several strategic points of Iraq and are firmly moving towards Baghdad. The attacks came soon after the expiry of deadline set by US President George Bush for Iraqi President and his family to leave Iraq.
Objective
The objective of the attacks is to disarm Iraq and Saddam Hussein, who reportedly possess Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) including biological and chemical weapons. It is necessary to disarm and weaken Iraq militarily to ensure safety and security of small and militarily weak nations in the Persian Gulf.
The fear of Iraq's military muscle flexing grew in the Middle East especially after Baghdad invaded Kuwait in 1991. The US-led joint military assault backed by the United Nations had pushed back Iraqi troops and restored Kuwait's sovereignty.
President Bush has clearly said that the strike in Iraq was not guided by the motives of territorial gains but to ensure security of Iraq's small neighbours by undermining Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war.
War is, no doubt, dirty, tragic and terrible. War by no means is good for human civilization, development and prosperity. However, sometimes, war is necessary to establish peace, security and just order in the world. The Iraq war is a case in point.
International terrorism has posed a serious threat to world peace and security of the people. Iraq is believed to have strong links with the terrorist groups like Al Queda that engineered deadly attacks in the World Trade Center and Pentagon in the USA in September 2001. If weapons of mass destruction fall into the hands of tyrants and terrorists, human beings' future would hang in danger and the world can never feel safe and secured. In such circumstances, elimination of deadly weapons and disarming Iraq is necessary for the cause of world peace, security and civilization. Thus, Iraq war is not a choice but a compulsion and necessity.
Iraq continued to defy international laws and United Nations resolutions. Saddam Hussein ordered Iraqi forces to invade Kuwait and annexed it. It was forced to withdraw following the massive attacks by the US-led allied forces. It was Iraq that first attacked Iran. Saddam Hussein has brutally suppressed and killed tens of thousands of Kurds and others, who do not support him and his dictatorial regime in Iraq.
The United Nations asked Iraq to disarm itself and destroy weapons of mass destruction. It was the duty of every member of the United Nations to fully implement the UN resolutions. However, Saddam Hussein never obliged to the UN resolutions. Iraq did not even fully and sincerely cooperate with the United Nations Weapons Inspection team but resorted to tactics of time buying. Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix told the Security Council recently that Iraq could not assure the weapon inspection team that it did not possess weapons of mass destruction.
Iraq's crushing defeat is imminent, as it cannot match with the military and technological supremacy of the United States and Britain. The US and Britain have already deployed and moved more than 300,000 troops equipped with ultra modern and sophisticated military hardware. But Iraq has a total of 350,000 troops, who still depend on conventional weapons and warfare.
This war could be a turning point in the history of world's balance of power. The world appears to be divided over Iraq war. Japan, Australia, Spain and many countries of Asia and Europe have clearly sided with America and Britain, while Germany, France, Russia and China have firmly stood against the war. Given this divided reaction and position, the war on Iraq appears to be a beginning of change in the international power equation and emergence of bipolar world.
Another hope that the war may bring among people of Iraq and the world is that Iraqi people may be relieved of the tyranny and democracy may first time in its history be established. It could also be the beginning of the democratisation in the Arab World, as democracy, human rights and open society are a distant reality in the Arab world.
The problem started in 1991 when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Iraq's close links with Al Queda and other international terrorist groups further terrified the world. Though the US-allied forces pushed Iraqi soldiers back from Kuwait, America, Britain and entire world could not foresee the danger that Saddam Hussein may pose to the world. The disarming of Iraq should have been carried out immediately after it was ejected from Kuwait. Had Iraq been disarmed and Saddam Hussein been weakened or overthrown ten years ago, the present problem would definitely have not surfaced and the world would not have to use so much energy and resources now.
Historic
Now America and Britain must not make another mistake as they did in 1991. Disarming Iraq must be complete. People of Iraq also must be relieved of Saddam's tyrannical rule and democracy and human rights restored in Iraq. That would not only ensure peace, security and stability not only in Iraq but also in the whole Middle East and the world. If Democracy and human rights established in Iraq, it would be a historic beginning for the democratisation in the Arab world.
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