Letter to Kofi Annan on Iraq
The Hon. Kofi Annan
United Nations
New York NY
Saturday, August 30th, 2003
Dear Mr. Annan,
I am a U.S citizen, and my wife and I are long-time, regular contributors to UNICEF. We donate to UNICEF because we feel that, as a U.N. institution, it is in a unique position to identify and address the most critical humanitarian needs in different parts of the world and its work is untainted by political or national biases.
I am terribly sorry about the deaths of Sergio Vieira De Mello and the other U.N. personnel who died in the bombing in Baghdad, and I am disturbed that the U.N. is being identified by some sectors of the Iraqi resistance as an agent of the U.S. & British occupation. The position of the U.N. in Iraq is clearly a severe test of the neutrality and impartiality that are essential to its unique role in the world. The suggestion by some in my government that a U.N. military force could be introduced under U.S. command would clearly constitute an unprecedented compromise of these principles.
Since April, many Americans have been urging President Bush to end the military occupation of Iraq, and to allow the U.N. to directly assist the Iraqi people with their political transition. The American people will not support a military occupation of indefinite duration and mounting violence. At some point, we will ask the U.N. to help us to find a way out of this crisis. Whenever that time comes, it must be clear to the Iraqis, especially to those who are now resisting the occupation, that the U.N. is a benevolent and neutral party. This really represents the only hope for peace in Iraq, and it must not be jeopardized by any ill-conceived attempt to accommodate a failing U.S. policy that was pursued against the better judgment of the U.N. and the vast majority of its members.
We have all learned a valuable lesson, that military invasion and occupation are neither moral nor effective policies in the 21st century, and that the U.N. inspection regime had actually succeeded in eliminating Iraq’s chemical and biological weapons. I am sure that the U.N. will be able to provide solutions for many other problems in the future – as long as its unique legitimacy is respected and safeguarded.
Yours sincerely
United Nations
New York NY
Saturday, August 30th, 2003
Dear Mr. Annan,
I am a U.S citizen, and my wife and I are long-time, regular contributors to UNICEF. We donate to UNICEF because we feel that, as a U.N. institution, it is in a unique position to identify and address the most critical humanitarian needs in different parts of the world and its work is untainted by political or national biases.
I am terribly sorry about the deaths of Sergio Vieira De Mello and the other U.N. personnel who died in the bombing in Baghdad, and I am disturbed that the U.N. is being identified by some sectors of the Iraqi resistance as an agent of the U.S. & British occupation. The position of the U.N. in Iraq is clearly a severe test of the neutrality and impartiality that are essential to its unique role in the world. The suggestion by some in my government that a U.N. military force could be introduced under U.S. command would clearly constitute an unprecedented compromise of these principles.
Since April, many Americans have been urging President Bush to end the military occupation of Iraq, and to allow the U.N. to directly assist the Iraqi people with their political transition. The American people will not support a military occupation of indefinite duration and mounting violence. At some point, we will ask the U.N. to help us to find a way out of this crisis. Whenever that time comes, it must be clear to the Iraqis, especially to those who are now resisting the occupation, that the U.N. is a benevolent and neutral party. This really represents the only hope for peace in Iraq, and it must not be jeopardized by any ill-conceived attempt to accommodate a failing U.S. policy that was pursued against the better judgment of the U.N. and the vast majority of its members.
We have all learned a valuable lesson, that military invasion and occupation are neither moral nor effective policies in the 21st century, and that the U.N. inspection regime had actually succeeded in eliminating Iraq’s chemical and biological weapons. I am sure that the U.N. will be able to provide solutions for many other problems in the future – as long as its unique legitimacy is respected and safeguarded.
Yours sincerely
posted by Nicolas Davies | 12:29 PM
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