Global Policy Forum

Hani Wuhayyib

The episode of US attempts to impose its evil will on the UN Security Council to make it issue its unjust resolutions against Iraq has gone through many stages that are inversely proportionate to the degree of US hegemony over the Security Council. It has been noticed that Resolution 661, issued on 6 August 1990 and according to which the embargo was imposed on Iraq, took only four days to pass through the Security Council. Several unjust resolutions against Iraq followed in an accelerated manner in 1990 and 1991.

With the start of the decline of US hegemony over the Security Council and the emergence of a relatively active role by some countries, particularly permanent member states, the time the Security Council takes to issue resolutions - which are primarily US and British drafts - has started to become longer. More time is spent on debates, amendments and sometimes objections, as was the case with the infamous Resolution 1284 issued on 17 November 1999. This resolution was not unanimously approved since three Security Council permanent member states abstained. Likewise, the "stupid sanctions" smart sanctions draft resolution collapsed last year after heated debates and serious objections within the Security Council and its subcommittees. The draft was ultimately buried. Banned commodities and US, UK "pressure"

The key factors in all of this are Iraq's steadfastness, its developing ties with Arab and international countries and the exposure of the US goals to impose unjust resolutions against it. The United States could not easily pass draft Resolution 1409, which met with considerable opposition and was the subject of many amendments and modifications, particularly regarding the attached long list of commodities and some of the relevant procedures, which they refer to as the review procedures. This bad and equally unjust resolution took a long time to clear the Security Council floor before being issued on 14 May, under direct US and British pressure, and following attempts to give it a fake humanitarian cover by giving others the impression that it eases the supply of commodities that allegedly alleviates the suffering of the Iraqi people.

Any careful reading of the provisions of the resolution, its mechanisms and the long list of commodities attached to it will reveal that this list has many "items" that are clearly used for civilian purposes. However, they placed them on this list on the grounds that the possibility of these commodities being used for military purposes exists. They include several condensers, semiconductors and material used, for instance, in manufacturing washing machines, devices for the examination of children's donated livers, and vehicles and medium-and high-load trucks which could be used for transporting tanks and military equipment and the use of which is not banned under any law or resolution. Armies all over the world transport their equipment and conventional weapons from one place to another for training, maintenance, repair or other legitimate and ordinary purposes.

There are too many other examples to count. They refer to commodities and items that are normally used in the daily life of peoples and countries yet they are placed under the list of commodities that might be used for military purposes. Therefore, they are subject to the complicated process of referring them to the so-called Unmovic United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission , the International Atomic Energy Agency and the infamous Committee 661, which the US and British delegates turned into a committee for obstructing and suspending the implementation of contracts. This was prior to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed between Iraq and the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 20 May 1996 as an interim arrangement. Many contracts signed under this memorandum, worth over 5bn dollars, are still suspended.

"New Obstacles" Expected from 1409

Obviously the US and British delegates will create new obstacles and hurdles, thanks to the opportunity given them by the provisions, lists and attachments of the new unjust Resolution 1409. These additional issues were not included in the original memorandum of understanding, the spirit and substance of which was the reason that Iraq had agreed to deal with the aforesaid resolution.

The deviation of the resolution from the provisions of the memorandum of understanding is such that it will result in a considerable departure from these provisions when it comes to the actual implementation of Resolution 1284, which is highly complicated and involves evil goals, as planned by the United States and Britain. Attempts were made in vain to give the resolution a fake and "humanitarian" cover, which will be torn by Iraq's steadfastness, the wisdom of its historic leadership, and the rising awareness of the Arab and international stances of the nature of these worn-out covers and ploys. They all reject the continuation of the US logic of prolonging the unjust embargo and the brutal aggression against Iraq.

Victory will always be on the side of patient and steadfast Iraq and its proud people, who are unified under the historic and heroic leadership and are always armed with the genuine spirit of the Arab nation.

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