http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5988325%255E1702,00.html

From correspondents in the United Nations
February 15, 2003

IN a dramatic showdown, major powers rebuffed the US in the Security Council overnight and insisted on more time for weapons inspections after top UN inspectors failed to give Washington the ammunition it needs to galvanize support for military action against Iraq.

A visibly exasperated Secretary of State Colin Powell, setting aside his prepared remarks, warned that the world should not be taken in by "tricks that are being played on us".

But only Spain and Britain spoke up for the US position in the 15-member council, and even Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw held out hope for a peaceful solution if Iraq dramatically accelerates its cooperation.

The day belonged to French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, whose impassioned speech seeking more time for inspections elicited rare and loud applause from diplomats in the chamber.

By contrast, ambassadors and dignitaries greeted Powell's remarks with silence.



YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

santity even if its not coming from the australian parliment
i think the protests this weekend will only solitify the oposition:D

Doesn't matter, we're gonna do Iraq.

yehh.. saw it on bbc... pretty cool... it was weird seein members applausin... well, taken in good spirit... powell and straw kinda made fun of the french reps speech... it was fun seein powell caught off guard... hans blix is a teaser.. :D

probably but then the leaders will also be going to the ICC as war criminals i HOPE

if we cant stop it at least we can hold those responcable to justice

thats the way the world works

It's good to see that others in the world are not as brainwashed as we in the U.S. seem to be sometimes. We seem to be mindless drones that just go along with anything the government says at times. Not everybody in the U.S. thinks war is good.

then get out in the streets

there is no excuse for apathy

NO BLOOD FOR OIL:p

Originally posted by Tennorange
It's good to see that others in the world are not as brainwashed as we in the U.S. seem to be sometimes. We seem to be mindless drones that just go along with anything the government says at times. Not everybody in the U.S. thinks war is good.

Don't worry - we don't put everyone in the U.S in the same category as George Dubbya - and I hope that not everyone outside the U.K puts us alongside Tony B.

Cheers,

Ron.

I just wish that they'd start openly criticizing everything that the US says, then move on to internal problems in the US, its culture, etc. Say that until our standards are up to theirs that they won't do a damn thing for us.

It's getting closer and closer to open WAR against the US. Whaddya think--is it gonna happen?

The Major Power, with its allies, is going to Iraq. The minor powers are irrelevent due to SCR 1441. The ICC has no jurisdiction over the US.

no but the US courts do

and the ICC was ratifide in Australia so its the gallows for little johnny

Damn, did they bring back capital punishment here when I wasn't looking?

what ARE the punishments for crimes against humanity in the ICC?

rember its not under australian law anymore

Unless the governor general kicks out the PM, nothing will happen to Honest Johnny. Unfortunately.

what about a backbencher revolt and take over by costello adam?

Actually, now that you mention it, I guess that might happen if anything really nasty comes from all this. Otherwise, Howard has too much support from outside interests.

Originally posted by Mr. G
The Major Power, with its allies, is going to Iraq. The minor powers are irrelevent due to SCR 1441.

Are you posting from the U.S - if so, remember the Roman Empire, the British Empire, etc.

The ICC has no jurisdiction over the US.

Only because the U.S didn't ratify an agreement that (most of) the rest of the world signed up to (remember Kyoto?). Why should the U.S be worried about its military being accused of war crimes?

BTW - are you in line to go to Iraq?

Cheers,

Ron.

Note that latest polls show 90% of the UK population is against going to war and Tony Blair is now very unpopular for his support of Bush.

It seems quite likely that Blair will lose his position as Prime Minister over this issue. There is now a possibility that at another US request for a UN resolution requesting force that the UK might not support the US.

If this major ally of the USA does not give support then Bush's position becomes politically extremely murky. If he pushes ahead with war, which I suspect he might, then the aftermath in political terms would be huge.

A large part of Europe sees Bush as the aggressor here and not Hussein. It is the reason we had a war with Iraq in the first place because they initiated an aggressive act against a neighbor. If the USA starts this war then they are little different than Iraq was in the early 1990s.

I am also seeing many troubling comments that the USA does not need Europe and that the US has the military power to do this alone. Just because one can do something does not mean one should. The truth that absolute power corrupts absolutely also comes to mind.

But there was another incident some 60 years ago when another country had an overwhelming military force in the world and decided they didn't need the support of others. While the conditions are different the arrogance and military power are the same. Nazi Germany was the most powerful in military terms in 1939 in the same way that the USA has that power now. A unilateral decision to wield that power against another country is morally wrong and I suspect would be political suicide.