WORLD LEADERS SPEAK

By Ray Flaming
ABC - Annan, Bush and Chirac spoke from the same UN podium within a few hours of each other yesterday afternoon. But it wasn't as simple as ABC. Although some of the expected sparks between the Presidents Bush and Chirac were not struck, some very pointed remarks were made, none more so than Kofi Annan 's about the dangers of pre–emptive attacks which ”could set precedents that resulted in a proliferation of the unilateral and lawless use of force, with or without credible justification.” And with President Bush already listening in the General Assembly, Mr Annan drove his point home by saying that ”The last 12 months have been very painful for those of us who believe in collective answers to collective problems.” President Bush did not answer the Secretary–General's observations directly but offered a justification of the UK/US unilateral action that must have struck many of the world leaders gathered in the General Assembly as almost breathtaking in its assumptions: ”Because a coalition of nations acted to defend the peace - and the credibility of the United Nations - Iraq is free.” If President Bush's speech was intended as a rallying call to ”the coalition of the willing” to provide troops and money to help the United States in its self–appointed task in Iraq, it fell far below what was necessary. By beginning with a reference to the events of 9/11 in the United States two years ago and then positioning post-war Iraq as the decisive battleground in the global fight against terrorism he made a connection which few in his UN audience will have accepted. For the great majority of the member states of the UN terrorism is the consequence of other more basic problems which remain unsolved.