Posted on 02/11/2003 2:43:11 PM PST by knighthawk
Leadership is about choices. In dangerous times, it often requires tough choices. Today, the world faces a moment of truth, and the consequences of the wrong choice -- of a failure of leadership -- would be grave.
On September 11th, from St. John's to Victoria, the world saw where ordinary Canadians stood through the strength of our words and actions. Sadly, our national leadership failed to live up to the same standard, for too long remaining undecided, drifting along without a plan, trying to steer a middle course when the choice was between right and wrong. A year later, our Prime Minister finally spoke his mind in a CBC interview -- and blamed the victim.
Today, the Prime Minister and his government are failing the test of leadership again. The situation in Iraq presents fundamental choices for Canada, and for the world. Yet at this crucial juncture our government is again unable or unwilling to say where our country stands.
The stakes could hardly be higher. Innocent lives, the stability of the Middle East, and the credibility and relevance of the United Nations hang in the balance.
The people of Iraq live under a tyrant, and have endured unbearable suffering which has crushed their hopes and dreams. We cannot forget the appalling images of Kurdish villagers, their dead bodies contorted in agony from the effects of their own government's chemical weapons. We cannot ignore the countless Iraqis who have borne the costs of Saddam Hussein's pointless wars of aggression, and his regime's record of torture, murder and abuse.
The dangers are not confined to Iraq. Saddam Hussein has invaded Kuwait, and Iran. He has fired missiles at Israel. He has relentlessly pursued weapons of mass destruction, and has used such weapons before. He has sympathized with terrorists, and the evidence is mounting that he has consorted with them as well.
Through the UN, the international community has rightly attempted to contain and disarm Saddam Hussein. The world has punished Iraq with sanctions, reluctantly accepting their costs to the civilian populace. The UN has sent inspectors, who have been thwarted and lied to at every turn. The Security Council has delivered an ultimatum -- disarm or face the consequences.
We now face the moment of truth. Saddam Hussein has, through his actions, rejected the Security Council's ultimatum. It is clear that the world must be prepared to act, not only because the alternatives have been exhausted and failure to disarm Iraq is not an option, but also because the very credibility of the United Nations is at stake. As Thomas Axworthy observed in these pages a few days ago, enforcing the rule of law in international affairs must be the principal concern of the UN, and this requires action on Iraq.
Too often in recent years, the UN has failed in its responsibilities. In 1999, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said with reference to Rwanda, "where forceful intervention [becomes] necessary, the Security Council ... must be able to rise to the challenge." After Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Somalia, and other tragic examples of inaction or insufficient action, the response to Iraq is the last chance for the UN to show that it means what it says, and that it matters.
The issue is not procedural. It does not matter whether the Security Council elects to take seriously the resolutions already passed, or to pass yet more. Either way, the time for action is approaching fast. The world has given Saddam Hussein an ultimatum and he has made his choice.
A vigorous debate among nations is now underway. Britain, Australia, Italy, Spain, Poland, Kuwait, Hungary, Denmark and others have recognized the need to act. Although France and Germany have taken a different position -- the wrong position -- they too have made their views clear. But where is Canada?
The Prime Minister and his colleagues have been engaging in a sterile debate about what Canada should do if the UN does or does not pass additional resolutions, if the U.S. does or does not act.
Leadership is not about contingency planning. It is about standing up for what is right. The Prime Minister must not continue to wait and see what the world does; Canada must put what prestige and influence we have behind achieving the proper result.
By dithering at this time of crisis, by once again trying to steer a middle course in a choice between right and wrong, our government is undermining the relevance of the United Nations and risking our security. Our current Prime Minister is departing once again from Canada's proud history of leadership at Juno Beach, Korea, the Suez and elsewhere in making and keeping the international peace. It has been too long already -- he must take a stand now.
Mike Harris is former premier of Ontario.
Reaganesque!
Read: "Chretien must resign now".
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