Milan (AsiaNews) "The draft of the UN resolution? This is the only peace agreement (that will work) for Iraq. Today's war is against tyrants worse than Saddam Hussein. If we were to pull out of Iraq now, we would leave the Iraqi populace in the hands of Al Sadr's thugs," said Vittorio Emanuele Parsi, professor of international relations at Milan's Catholic University.
Dr. Parsi, who is also a geopolitical analyst, commented on the draft of the UN resolution presented to the American president George Bush in an interview with AsiaNews. Below are his responses to our questions.
What is your opinion on the document the United States and Great Britain presented to the UN Security Council?
It seems to be the necessary step to resolve the crisis in Iraq. This is one step, which is anything but a given from a diplomatic perspective. In fact, it anticipates certain dates and time periods for returning full sovereignty to the people of Iraq as well as a multinational military presence (under US control) to guarantee the process of democratization.
These are all the steps that go toward the rebuilding of the fabric of the international community and a new stance on the UN's role in this. Yet the success of this resolution depends on our ability to involve Arab countries. This can be facilitated by the growing influence of Shiites in Iraq.
If the UN intervenes in the Iraqi crisis and ensures the turning over of sovereignty to the Iraqi government, this situation of undeclared war will come to an end. International military forces, thus, must not just act as peace-keeping but rather as peace-enduring units, where armies are put in the position of really guaranteeing the country's security.
Have the United States then made the multi-lateral shift requested of them?
There has been such a shift and this signals the discontinuity that was asked for and expected. The same leaders of the Italian left (I met with Fassino on Saturday) acknowledge that there is no one other than the Americans who are capable of leading international troops. The UN's coming into the picture is, however, very important.
I find it ludicrous that now people are saying, "Without a resolution, the American must pull out." There exists a draft of the resolution and we are working to approve it. Then there are those who chant the political slogan, "Iraq for Iraqis", which means we would leave the Iraqi populace in the hands of Al Sadr's thugs. We cannot let Iraqis fall prey to a regime worse than the one they were just liberated from.
With this multilateral path lead to terrorism being rooted out of Iraq?
No, because the UN resolution is about a political and not a military process. Terrorists pursue the objective of a "Lebanizing" Iraq. They are military forces and they think and react like them. Perhaps, there actions will change if they see drastic and decisive changes being made, as in the comportment of international troops.
The UN resolution draft is, thus, the way now to establish peace in Iraq?
It is the most one can hope for. But we cannot say whether it will be enough. We have this card to play. If we waste the opportunity, we'll never have another like it. This war's victory is found in liberation of Iraqis from tyrants worse than Saddam Hussein.
The war was probably conducted according to reasons different from those publicly declared. It has been a poorly run operation, especially after the capture of Baghdad. This, however, should not concern us all too much. History will be the judge of this.
Some time ago Kofi Annan himself expressed harsh words about the war declared in defiance of his organization, when saying: "One year ago there was no terrorism in Baghdad, but today there is." Yet only a week ago Mr. Annan thanked the Italian government for its military commitment to Iraq and acknowledged that only Coalition forces could guarantee the turning over of power to the Iraqi government. (LF)
