Editorial

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Editorial

In what appears to be a softening of his stance towards the two remaining members of the infamous "axis of evil," President George W. Bush has cited Iran and North Korea to argue that military action is not the only way of dealing with problems. He, however, stuck to the inevitability of invading Iraq by declaring it a unique case where peaceful means had failed. Naturally, this latter part of the Bush statement is highly questionable—particularly now that news reports have revealed Saddam Hussein’s willingness to accept all American demands, including a free run of the country to look for the non-existent WMDs and even a change of policy on Israel, in a desperate bid to avoid war. Nonetheless, President Bush’s insistence on Iraq can be ignored as he could hardly confess to leading the US into an unnecessary, bloody and expensive war.

That being so, what is more significant is the admission that the Iranian and North Korean situations do not demand going to war. This welcome change of emphasis was brought on, in the immediate context, by the fact that President Bush was speaking to the British media on the eve of his visit to the UK where the Iraq war is very unpopular. In fact, the anti-war groups are all set to protest the Bush visit which has become something of an embarrassment for his beleaguered ally Tony Blair. The warlike US attitude towards Iran and North Korea is even less popular in Britain as both these countries have been willing to address the international concerns through negotiations. President Bush was, therefore, sending a conciliatory message to the opponents of his policy in the UK and also a lifeline to his allies there.

But more important than the need to mollify the British public is the impact of the recent development in Iraq. The rising casualties, the deadly attack on the Italian contingent and the resulting reluctance of Japan and South Korea to send their troops to bail out the embattled Americans must all weigh heavily on the mind of President Bush. He cannot be unaware of the fact that the Iraqi misadventure is very precariously poised, as indeed is his own political career. The US is too deeply committed to cut its losses and leave while "staying the course," as President Bush is currently advocating, seems certain to entail a heavy cost. The obvious lesson of this situation is precisely what President Bush has now conceded —that war is not the solution to all problems.

Hopefully, this somewhat belated realisation will outlast the present pressures operating on President Bush at home and abroad to become a principle of US foreign policy. What is needed simultaneously is US commitment to work only through the United Nations—no matter what. Only then can situations like those in Iran and North Korea be resolved peacefully, the fears of a hyper-power leading the world into turmoil put to rest and the lost American prestige and credibility redeemed