27 September 2002
Richard Butler, George F. Kennan Voice Concerns about War with Iraq
(Butler, Kennan warn of possible ominous consequences) (550) By Stephen Kaufman Washington File Staff Writer Washington -- In the debate over a possible U.S. war on Iraq, two voices of caution emerged during the past week, urging the United Nations and the U.S. Congress to play a greater role in deciding the course of action. Richard Butler, the former head of the United Nations Special Commission on Munitions (UNSCOM), charged with disarming Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction, told the Forbes Global CEO conference in Hong Kong that the UN Security Council must come to a consensus on Iraq, or else "the U.S. will take the action required." In his September 26 remarks, Butler said the lack of agreement in the council on Iraq amounted to "a crisis in the management of global security," and urged the United States and Russia to work together in order to get Iraq to agree to serious weapons inspections. Throughout his remarks, the former UNSCOM chief defended the right of the international community to force Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's compliance with UN resolutions, and even seek his removal from office. However, Butler warned policymakers in Washington that a military campaign against Saddam Hussein's regime could escalate into a broader Middle East war, even to the point where Israel could use its nuclear weapons in a counterstrike against Iraq. "My deepest fear is that if that conflict occurred and if the war escalated, that Israel would use its nuclear weapons," said Butler. "If that happens, this world will have been changed beyond recognition. . And I fear, too, that if that happened, the State of Israel would cease to exist," he said. In Washington, veteran diplomat George F. Kennan, who was the chief architect of the U.S. Cold War policy of containment and deterrence against communism, urged the U.S. Congress to take the lead in the decision on whether the United States should take military action against Iraq. In an interview with columnist Albert Eisele of "The Hill," the 98-year-old Kennan said President Bush "should not do what he's planning to do without a clear congressional mandate." Kennan said broad war-making powers given to the executive branch, such as the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin resolution and a similar type of measure currently sought by the Bush Administration, "led to no good," He criticized the Democratic opposition for thus far failing to oppose Bush's request for congressional acquiescence in allowing the administration to have unlimited war powers against Iraq. "I wonder why the Democrats have not asked the president right out, 'What are you talking about? Are you talking about one war or two wars? And if it's two wars, have we really faced up to the competing demands of the two?'" said Kennan, referring to the already declared war against terrorism. Kennan added that there should be a "very, very basic consideration" involved in dealing with Iraq, "[W]henever you have a possibility of going in two ways, either for . peaceful methods or for military methods, in the present age there is a strong prejudice for the peaceful ones. War seldom ever leads to good results." "War has a momentum of its own and it carries you away from all thoughtful intentions when you get into it. Today, if we went into Iraq, like the president would like us to do, you know where you begin. You never know where you are going to end," warned Kennan. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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