It appears that the United States will inevitably use force to remove Saddam Hussein from power. Hussein’s army is still weak from Desert Storm, and no one doubts that the United States is capable of a military victory. The United States’ biggest hurdle is the increasing divergence of its allies’ opinions.
The United States faces opposition from a number of disagreeing groups and countries, but none so crucial as France, Germany and Russia. These countries continually distance themselves from U.S. objectives and question President Bush’s motives.
Many of the citizens of these countries can remember vividly the terrible capabilities of an unfeeling dictator. Why, then, have they shown Hussein leniency while other nations advocate forceful intervention?
The rise of Adolph Hitler’s regime saw the murder of millions of Jews. In the early ’90s, millions of Kurds were murdered under Hussein’s power. Both Hitler and Hussein targeted and mass-murdered ethnic groups without representation or countries of their own.
France also felt the impact of the maniacal Hitler. In 1940 Hitler’s war machine ravaged and occupied France. Similar behavior was seen when Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, drained it economically and set fire to its oil reserves.
Joseph Stalin oversaw the murder of more people than Hitler or Hussein and won political support by “purging” his opposition. Immediately after Hussein rose to power in 1979, he began executing political opposition and people he suspected of dissidence, going so far as to join the firing squad himself. Hussein’s Ba’ath Party controls political opposition through torture and execution, just as Stalin’s Bolsheviks did.
Colin Powell’s presentation to the United Nations made it clear that Hussein is still in possession of weapons of mass destruction. He proved that he would use the weapons when he murdered thousands of Kurds with chemical warheads. He proved that he would invade and defile another country when he occupied Kuwait. He proves that Iraqis have no political voice by jailing, torturing and murdering his political opponents. Hasn’t he met all of the requirements for being taken out of power immediately?
To think that giving Hussein several more months to comply completely with U.N. weapons inspectors will resolve the conflict peacefully defies all logic. Just months ago, he was given the opportunity to avoid U.S. military action by agreeing to all of the terms of U.N. Resolution 1441. The resolution was extremely aggressive and was designed to either quickly and completely disarm Hussein or lead the United Nations to military action. Hussein has not adhered to the terms of Resolution 1441 and has not been disarmed.
France, Germany and Russia are making a mistake by prolonging the reign of Hussein. The longer he holds his position of absolute power over Iraq, the longer he will have to concoct new ways to prolong his dictatorship and oppress Iraqis.
The strangely absent personal convictions of these countries should bring them to lead the charge to oust Hussein from power. The motives of France, Germany, and Russia to uphold Hussein’s throne of oppression are mysterious and beyond comprehension.
Josh Foreman is a junior communication major.