Posted on 10/06/2004 2:04:28 PM PDT by My2Cents
U.N. panel to frame guidelines on legality of pre-emptive strike
By Heather J. Carlson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
From the World section
Members of an international panel studying United Nations' operations say the group hopes to lay down clear rules declaring when it is legal for a nation to use pre-emptive military force in its own defense.
The issue grows out of the international controversy over the Bush administration's decision to invade Iraq without a final U.N. Security Council resolution explicitly authorizing the war, said panel member Gareth Evans, a former foreign minister of Australia.
"I expect the panel to be giving close consideration to what those rules are and how they should be applied and whether an effort should be made to identify generally agreed criteria for the legitimate use of force, whatever the context," Mr. Evans said during a recent appearance at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington.
He made his remarks before last week's presidential debate in which Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry's call for a "global test" on when pre-emptive action is justified became a campaign issue.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan established the 16-member High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change in November to study ways to reform the 59-year-old organization so it can better address 21st-century threats to security and peace.
/snip/
The legality of pre-emptive action has been at issue since Mr. Annan told a British Broadcasting Corp. interviewer last month that he considered the invasion of Iraq to be "illegal" within the context of the U.N. system.
/snip/
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, in an interview at The Washington Times last month, stressed that the U.S. Constitution authorizes the United States to act in its own self-defense without U.N. approval.
/snip/
(Excerpt) Read more at insider.washingtontimes.com ...
Get us out of the U.N.
I guess the global test is becoming a reality. And voting for Kerry will guarantee that.
I think they should first work out when it is legal and acceptable for UN officials to take bribes from murderous dictators, figure out how many tens of thousands of people need to die in genocides before the UN will act, and decide out just how tyrannical a country can be and still have a seat on the UN Human Right Commission. Once they sort all that out, then get back to us on the premptive issue.
Nailing down Kerry's Global Test? This should be bad for Kerry.
Let's count our blessings....If it weren't for all of the things you mentioned, the UN would actually have credibility.
so we would have to wait for some dirty heathen from France to give us the ok to go bomb the S out of some other dirty heathen?
ummmm no...
lets take the UN out in our next pre-emptive strike....
And by the time the UN works all that out, the engraving on my tombstone will be so weathered that no one will be able to read it.
It is illegal if it interrupts the cash flow to UN officials.
The rules are as long as corrupt government and UN officials are being making millions being bribed to prop up a wicked dictator, you cannot legally attack the country.
ROTFLMPJO
Why don't they solve REAL problems, ie Sudan, too tough I guess, talking is much safer.
The UN should recognize that it is no more than a place for nations to gather together to form agreements.
They wouldn't be "studying" it if their intented results were to benefit the United States.
Fine, let the UN panel lay down guidelines for the legality of a pre-emptive strike. Guess we will just take our soldiers, tanks, planes, etc., and go home. Let those weasels defend their own countries and see how far they get without the US. Think it's about time the learned "if you play with the big boys, you'd better be able to keep up".
This is the simplest explanation and justification for our action against Saddam...."Operation Iraqi Freedom" was simply a conclusion to the 1991 Gulf War, precipitated by numerous and flagrant violations of the ceasefire agreements by Saddam. It was the wrap-up of a 12-year old ongoing war with Iraq. Frankly, looked at in this way, the UN was "illegally" violating its own resolutions in NOT approving final action to take out Saddam.
The UN belongs in Paris
If you're not with us...
I wish Paul Bunyan would kick that U.N. building about ten miles out to sea.
Here's a scenario....The UN comes up with a "test" of legality for pre-emptive action; not coincidentially, the Coalition action against Saddam "fails" the test...Hence, Pres. John Kerry immediately withdraws all US troops from Iraq, claiming they are there "illegally." Saddam is restored to power.
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