Richard Mills visited Mississippi State University last Thursday clarified some of the current debate concerning United States and Iraq relations, as well as the use of the United Nations. According to Mills, there are two main points arising from Sept. 11, 2001.
“After 9/11 the Bush Administration rediscovered the United Nations. This date in history redefined what the United States as a country would tolerate in terms of foreign threats. Our nation now holds a new perspective,” Mills explained.
“We are vulnerable; although we’ve watched and monitored for years, terrorists cannot be deterred, and we cannot assume rational behavior.”
The primary concern of the Bush Administration now rests upon the posed threat by Saddam Hussein. Under Hussein’s leadership, Iraq seeks to obtain weapons of mass destruction; this fact now poses as a much more serious threat to international peace and security.
“The threat is becoming too strong for us to ignore any longer, and the world must respond. That’s what we mean by new national security,” Mills said.
Mills articulated the United Nation.’s new and profound influence on the situation. He said that the attention to the United States that the United Nations. had not given before is now “overwhelming, immediate, and not mediated by us.” He noted that in fact, the day after the attack on the United States, the United Nations. came to the United States to offer its assistance. They agreed to help financially in stopping terrorist activity.
This agreement caused overwhelming cooperation across the globe. “Every 90 days we’ve had every country in the world reporting back to the United Nations. Explaining what actions they are doing to stop financing terrorist campaigns, ” Mills explained. Most terrorism seems to occur in failed states. Somolia serves as an obvious example. However, after 9/11 the world now knows that different parts of the world can no longer ignore each other. According to Mills, the U.N. Is important with helping to stop terrorism because it has the ethos and reputation for nation building.
The U.S. Administration hopes to put a resolution through the U.N. that conveys four main points to Hussein.
First, the resolution must establish the 16 resolutions which Hussein has already violated. Secondly, it should set clear and firm conditions for inspectors. It should guarantee open borders for inspection within Iraq as well as provide for the safety of inspectors. Thirdly, the resolution should set time-lines. Hussein will have seven days from the time the resolution is issued to accept the resolution, which is non-negotiable. Finally, if the conditions are not carried out by Hussein, then there will be consequences and an authorization of all available states to take necessary actions of defense.
There is still debate in the U.N. about these conditions, yet the U.S. government hopes the council will agree on one resolution. Mills expressed the desire of President Bush in saying that it is “important that Congress speak with one voice.”
The threat of Iraq’s threat of weapons of destruction and its desire to gain nuclear power, call for increased security measures. While there is a possibility of going to war with Iraq, clear measures are being taken to avoid it. However, Hussein must cooperate with the terms of whatever resolution the U.N. brings forth.
If the U.N. Decids against going to war along side the U.S. If that is necessary, then the U.S. Will act in whatever ways it feels it may best defent itself, even without the support of the U.N. However, the desire of the American government is for the entire U.N. to act in unity.
“We can’t rely on self preservation to prevent another 9/11. The attack served as a wake up call to the country. What we could accept before as a concern is now a priority.”
Mills currently serves as the political advisor at the United States Mission to the United Nations.
Mills is a veteran diplomat for the United States who works on policy issues with the United Nations Security Council. He served in the Foreign Service at the United States Embassy in Paris from 1988 to1990, and as a political officer at the United States Consulate in St. Petersburg from 1993 to 1995. Mills also worked in the State Department Secretariat and in the State Department’s Office of Congressional Affairs. Before joining the United States Mission in 2001, he served at the United States Embassy in Dublin.
Mills graduated from Georgetown University in 1981. He grew up in Mississippi in the summer of his youth since his mother is a native of Jackson. He was very excited at the opportunity to visit his old home.