Human Shields and Choice

[kandrathe]

And even when discussion has worked, it required the knowledge on the part of both sides that each was willing to use force if some mutually acceptable compromised could not be reached. The threat of force is what generated those compromises.

I whole-heartedly concur. I find ironically, that the positions of France, Germany, Russia and China on the security council are undermining a unified strong world voice against Iraq's WMD. A strong unified UN security council might have convinced Saddam to capitulate to the inspections, but this show of weakness will only embolden him, and draw us closer toward real war. Likewise, the massive peace protests organized around the globe only feed Mr. Saddam's sense of security with his regime's past history and future plans.

I was sure that when this first came up 6 months ago, that the US was just sabre rattling to get Iraq to pay attention. Now, with the UN so tragically failing to enforce any of its resolutions, the inclinations of those in the Bush administration who called for unilateral action are being justified. Now I don't see how the UN security council can get out of the deadlock it is in, so ultimately that means two things. No UN, and back to war as the means of settling international disputes.