Criticism of U.S. Policy
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Although it received only mild press attention, a March 6, 2003 report by the UN nuclear inspectors cast serious doubt of the existence and extent of a then current Iraqi nuclear program. It later transpired that incriminating documents had been forged to deceive the US public, particularly concerning Iraqi acquisition of uranium (see Yellowcake Forgery).
Many opponents of the invasion also contended that some or all of the weapons inspectors' reports were vastly misrepresented by the Bush administration, especially in the connection between Iraq and terrorist groups. Fundamentalist Muslim groups, at the time generally did not support Iraq, as it was a secular nation that did not enforce Sharia law. In a tape reputedly released by Osama bin Laden in February 2003, Saddam Hussein is referred to as an 'ignorant infidel' and placed only second on the list of evils, after an invasion by the United States.
Although Bush originally stated that existing resolutions were sufficient to justify the US launching a war, Blair had insisted that the UN must be involved, and it was widely believed that Colin Powell agreed strongly with this view, that a new resolution was required.
The United States led the tumultuous effort within the United Nations to pass UN Security Council Resolution 1441, which called for sweeping new powers for weapons inspectors within Iraq and threatened "serious consequences" if Iraq failed to comply with the resolution. This measure had been successful, according to the peace faction, as Iraq had allowed inspections to continue (after a four-year hiatus) soon after the measure passed, and had responded in a timely fashion to concerns raised about it, despite their concerns about continued US espionage.
In February 2003 the effort to draft an 18th resolution in the UN Security Council was underway. It was influenced at least in part by a near-revolt inside the British Labour Party, which has the power to remove Blair from office, and which had made clear that without another resolution, Blair would be proceeding without the support of most of the UK's voting population, which was strongly against a war including only US and UK forces.
Read more about this topic: Iraq Disarmament Crisis
Famous quotes containing the words criticism of, criticism and/or policy:
“I, with other Americans, have perhaps unduly resented the stream of criticism of American life ... more particularly have I resented the sneers at Main Street. For I have known that in the cottages that lay behind the street rested the strength of our national character.”
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964)
“It is ... pathetic to observe the complete lack of imagination on the part of certain employers and men and women of the upper-income levels, equally devoid of experience, equally glib with their criticism ... directed against workers, labor leaders, and other villains and personal devils who are the objects of their dart-throwing. Who doesn’t know the wealthy woman who fulminates against the “idle” workers who just won’t get out and hunt jobs?”
—Mary Barnett Gilson (1877–?)
“We are apt to say that a foreign policy is successful only when the country, or at any rate the governing class, is united behind it. In reality, every line of policy is repudiated by a section, often by an influential section, of the country concerned. A foreign minister who waited until everyone agreed with him would have no foreign policy at all.”
—A.J.P. (Alan John Percivale)