BY SAMI KOHEN
MILLIYET- Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the latest developments in Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows:
Will Tuesday’s devastating bombing of the United Nations’ headquarters in Baghdad change the US policy on Iraq? In the wake of this disaster, domestic and foreign pressure on the Bush administration has sharply increased. UN officials have accused American forces of failing to protect their headquarters. ‘We had hoped that by now, the coalition forces would have secured the environment for us to be able to carry on … economic reconstruction and institution building,’ said UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. ‘That has not happened.’
Most prominent UN officials are now arguing that the attack should be regarded as an urgent wakeup call. In addition, not only UN officials but also many other prominent figures from countries ranging from France to Russia are calling on Washington to stop acting on its own and instead establish solid international cooperation to share the tasks and responsibilities of Iraq’s reconstruction.
Meanwhile, there is also considerable American support for the idea of the US cooperating with the UN Security Council. Sources in Washington say that Secretary of State Colin Powell recently offered his suggestions on this issue to President Bush. However, the question is whether the Bush administration really wants to establish full cooperation with the UN. Will Bush agree to transfer the responsibility to establish peace and stability in the region to the UN? For the time being, the answer seems to be ‘no.’
It’s unclear when Washington will change its unilateral, overconfident and arrogant policy in Iraq. All we know is that the faster the international opposition grows, the sooner might the Bush administration see the error of its ways. That’s why the UN should by no means give up, and should, on the contrary, assume a military and political role in Iraq in addition to its humanitarian mission. The international community must do its utmost to persuade Washington on this issue. Finally, our country should have some words to say to the Bush administration. Under these circumstances, Turkey can play an important role in persuading the US not to act alone.