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Mon. Mar 17, 2003

A Day of Developments

A Day of Developments – (check your favorite news source for the latest, it’s breaking too fast to link here) A new poll shows that UN approval ratings are the lowest they’ve been in 50 years … 58% disapprove of UN actions. And so it has apparently been decided that, rather than defy the UN by seeking a vote on a second resolution, losing, and proceeding anyway, we will simply proceed. As Britain and France did against Egypt in 1956 (and Britain again against Argentina), as NATO did in Europe in Bosnia and Kosovo, as Iraq did against Iran and Kuwait, as Arab nations did against Israel in 1967 and 1973, as the Soviets did in Afghanistan, Hungary, etc., etc.

Stop pretending it’s something new or rare. It’s standard procedure. Out of the 26 international wars since the UN was formed, only three proceeded with some kind of UN mandate. It is the exception rather than the rule, despite today’s portrayals.

The US and UK Ambassadors to the UN state there will be no vote on a second resolution, as they see UN Security Coucil consensus as impossible, largely due to French intransigence. They said that the sponsors of the March 7 proposal (the US, UK, and Spain) reserve the right to take their own steps to insure Iraqi disarmament, since it is now clear the UN Security Council will not.

And if that wasn’t clear enough, UN inspectors were told they should leave Iraq, and it was announced the President will speak tonight at 8pm. It’s foreshadowing worthy of a trashy paperback novel.

In response to these horribly uncertain times, economic fragility, and the looming prospect of war … the stock market went wild (the Dow is up over 200 points at this writing).

It would appear that not only is the train leaving the station, it’s leaving a bunch of noxious fumes behind. Probably a few unfounded worries, as well.