UN Resolution

[Michele 1]

I can't believe some of those who are so into the UN and it's work haven't posted this...but here it is, and being called a diplomatic coup for the Bush administration. And it was unanimous.

Per the AP, via Earthlink News...
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"UNITED NATIONS - The Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday aimed at attracting more troops and money to help stabilize Iraq and speed its independence - a diplomatic victory for Washington after the bitter dispute over the war.

The resolution's success hinges on whether it generates additional funds for Iraq's reconstruction at next week's donors conference in Madrid, Spain, and whether countries decide to send new forces to Iraq.

In a dramatic shift, France, Germany and Russia - key opponents of the U.S.-led war against Iraq - supported the resolution. But they immediately ruled out any new military or financial help, reflecting ongoing concern about the speed with which Washington would transfer authority to Iraqis.

The resolution gives U.N. authorization to a multinational force under unified command that will be led by the United States and calls for troop contributions as well as "substantial pledges" from the 191 U.N. member states at the Madrid donors conference on Oct. 23-24.

The 15-0 vote was a coup for Secretary of State Colin Powell, who called the outcome "a great achievement" - although he cautioned that the resolution should not be seen as "opening the door to troops."

Powell led six weeks of intense U.S. lobbying and worked the phones from the early hours Wednesday. When he launched his final diplomatic blitz, U.S. officials were concerned the resolution might get only the minimum nine "yes" votes needed for adoption.

A day earlier, France, Russia and Germany failed to persuade the United States to include in the resolution a timetable for restoring Iraq's sovereignty. Instead, the draft calls for the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council - in cooperating with the coalition and a U.N. representative - to provide the Security Council by Dec. 15 with a timetable for drafting a new constitution and holding elections.

The resolution makes clear that the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq is temporary and states that "the day when Iraqis govern themselves must come quickly." It urges the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority now running the country to let Iraqis govern "as soon as practicable."

The United States also won backing from China and Pakistan, and finally and most surprisingly, from Syria, the only Arab nation on the Security Council and a staunch opponent of the U.S.-led war.

Not wishing to revive the bitter divisions over the war itself, virtually all council members said they wanted council unity on the next steps in Iraq, even if the resolution didn't meet all their demands.

"The outcome is a clear demonstration of the will of all the members of the Security Council to place the interests of the Iraqi people above all other considerations," Secretary-General Kofi Annan said after the vote.

Germany, France and Russia announced earlier Thursday that they would vote in favor of the resolution in a bid to bring international solidarity to the reconstruction effort. France made clear there was concern about escalating violence and terrorism - not just in Iraq but in the Middle East as a whole.

"We all see a spiral of violence and terrorism that is increasing in Iraq," said French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, speaking to reporters at a summit meeting of European leaders in Brussels, Belgium. "It is important to send a message to the Iraqi people ... that we all want the best conditions for the reconstruction of the country."

In a joint statement after the council vote, the three European nations said the resolution failed to give the United Nations a bigger role in Iraq's political transition or speed up the transfer of authority to Iraqis.

Therefore, "the conditions are not created for us to envisage any military commitment and no further financial contributions beyond our present engagement," the French-German-Russian statement said.

When the United States embarked on its effort to get a new resolution, the focus was on troops and money. But under pressure from the French, Germans, Russians and others, it quickly shifted to the restoration of sovereignty to Iraqis. The United States responded by setting the Dec. 15 deadline, making clear its stay in Iraq is temporary, and giving the United Nations more of a political role.

References in the resolution to a U.N. role are conditioned with the words "as circumstances permit."

Annan pulled out all but a few dozen international staffers after two bombings at U.N. headquarters in Baghdad in a month. He has made clear that he would not risk sending U.N. staff back unless the United Nations is given a major role in Iraq's transition to a democracy.

Annan told the council he would do his "utmost" to implement the resolution, bearing in mind "the safety and security" of U.N. staff.

Mouwafak al-Raabi, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council, welcomed the possibility of "the presence of more international troops ... and pumping more funds into Iraq ... in order to reconstruct the Iraqi economy and combat unemployment."

"This can be one of the successful means to dry out the cores of terror," he said.

Syria's U.N. Ambassador Fayssal Mekdad said his country decided to join the consensus after consulting Germany, France, Russia, China and other non-permanent council members as well as Japan, which is not on the council.

"We have decided that it is in the interests of the Iraqi people that we take such a positive stand," he said, expressing hope that the resolution will "accelerate the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqis" even though it doesn't meet "all our expectations."

Hours earlier, however, Syrian President Bashar Assad, speaking in Malaysia, launched a sharp attack on the U.S.-led war and ridiculed the "liberation" of that country."
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This seems like a move everyone can be happy about...

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[juanesky 0]

Chirp, chirp.....absolute silence....

Why? [sarcasm]

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[Michele 1]

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Chirp, chirp.....absolute silence....

Why? [sarcasm]

You know, Juan, I heard about this story this morning...and I waited and waited for someone to bring this up. But no-one did. So I thought, in the interests of fairness, I'd contribute this wonderful news to the boards...but no-one is interested. I wonder why...

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[juanesky 0]

Is the fact that after such an ugly war, there are good consquences is hard to admit.

I too gave up on posting this kind of news, so from this point on, is hijack all political threads

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[mikkey 0]

Well, it took 3 month or so to get this through and there is still a lot of animosity between the US and a number of countries (who are supposed to be allies). The reason these countries voted for this is that Iraq needs a "legal" base to re-establish a government and the resolution is the first step.
The resolution does however not result in those larger countries contributing troops or money.

Whilst this is a positive thing, I would not see it as a "coup" for the US. It does not give them much "relieve" in the short term and the reason the US critics voted for it was to help the Iraq people not the US, e.g. even Syria voted for the resolution.

The matter of fact is still that the US made some major diplomatic blunders leading up to the war and they are paying for it now and will in political terms pay for it in the future.

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When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

[Michele 1]

Well, frankly, I would have thought there would be a lot of "Finally!" or "Thank goodness they saw the light" kind of reactions...but no, seems like it's just you and me being happy about good news. Good news which is, oftentimes, underreported. And it's obviously not what people want to hear...or this post would have caught fire by now (or, more honestly, this great news would have been posted already...).

It's very interesting, to say the least...

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[juanesky 0]

I know, it is so weird but don't worry, no one is just happy with the good news, shortly will appear those like the post of Mikkey, just not relieved about the good news, but rather still trying to put some sort of blame.....and then the other side fighting back the responses....

I'm glad as hell that at least the UN as convened, that a free Iraq is worthwhile global cooperation. At least people won't "hang" around their jails anymore....


Are you going to be in ELoy?

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[mikkey 0]

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Is the fact that after such an ugly war, there are good consquences is hard to admit.

Do you have any idea what this resolution is about? It sets out the principle that the administration of Iraq is returned to the prople of Iraq as soon as possible and makes it possible for countries (as a legal basis) to give aid so that Iraq can rebuid the infrastructure that was destroyed during the war. What an amazing triumph fro the Bush administration . Just shows in what deep shit the US is in in Iraq after the war when something like this need to be celebrated as a "triumph".

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When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

[Jimbo 0]

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Good news which is, oftentimes, underreported.

No. No. No Michele, this isn't being underreported, it's being over reported. Sheesh, I thought you would have known this by now!

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[mikkey 0]

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Good news which is, oftentimes, underreported.

No. No. No Michele, this isn't being underreported, it's being over reported. Sheesh, I thought you would have known this by now!

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Jim

Just checked on the Internet - the resolution is headline on every news service, CNN, BBC etc. So what are you guys on about?

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When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

[juanesky 0]

Hey Mikkey, simmer down nah...

THere you go with your worldly advice now, and just trying to make good news a very political one.

Your hatred for the US is quite noticeable, Michele and I are just happy that finally most have agreed on the need for Iraqi people to take charge of their lives.

You on the other hand, talk about blunders of Bush, but you forgot totally the blunders of the same nations (France, Germany and Russia), that have been 1000 times more disruptive than this outcome. At least the outcome seems to be that the Security council, will finally help out in giving Iraq to the Iraqis....Just mellow out dude.

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[Michele 1]

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Sheesh, I thought you would have known this by now!

Ooopssssssss. Know what? You're right. I mean, it's as old as this morning's coffee, stale as this morning's donuts, and as tired and worn as a 50 year-old whore. It's been history for over 8 hours...and it really is not, as stated by Mikkey, anything to be happy about. Nothing important here, move along...move along...

ROFL...

(Juan, I don't think I can afford Eloy this year. This illness has set me back quite a ways...no insurance...oh well...maybe next year.)

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[wmw999 2,439]

My personal dislike for George Bush and many of his stated policies doesn't really depend on what the UN resolves. After all, when the UN was resolving that the US shouldn't enter Iraq, the UN was bad to some folks. Now that the UN is agreeing with the US that Iraq needs help (DUH), it seems the UN is good.

But it's not because it agrees with the US that the UN is right. The US doesn't define right. Conservatives don't define right. Liberals don't define right. Within the context of the US legal system, the Constitution and the body of laws it enables define legality, and therefore right. But we all know how "right" the laws are.

And I hadn't read the article or heard the news, and not every scum-sucking stupid left-wing liberal comments on every thread.

I do quite honestly hope that the US doesn't see this as a sign of "my way or the highway" being the right way to approach things. I also hope that the UN doesn't.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[juanesky 0]

So u r making me go to Cali for a few days then?.....

I would definitely like to do a cross country diving trip....from the east coast to the west....

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[Darius11 12]

thats great news
thank you for sharring it with us

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[juanesky 0]

Think this link is appropiate to share....Click

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[Michele 1]

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not every scum-sucking stupid left-wing liberal comments on every thread

Wendy, you know I love you, scum sucking or not. (btw, did someone actually call you "scum-sucking stupid left-wing liberal", or are you making use of hyperbole again?)

Honestly, you hadn't heard? It was all over the news tonight, and I heard about it on the morning shows on MSNBC...did you know about the Senate vote to have some of the 83 billion be loans rather than grants? Very close vote, but it seems some amount (how much, I missed) will be as loans to be repaid rather than simple grants.

I've been critical of the UN, that's true, and while some might see me as being a hypocrit, I am simply glad that there is movement toward a self-governed Iraq, that it was unanimous, and that it seems to be more of a worldwide effort rather than a go-it-alone kind of thing.

Ciels-
Michele

Ciels

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[juanesky 0]

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I've been critical of the UN, that's true, and while some might see me as being a hypocrit, I am simply glad that there is movement toward a self-governed Iraq, that it was unanimous, and that it seems to be more of a worldwide effort rather than a go-it-alone kind of thing.

Kuddos...

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[Jimbo 0]

I just can't believe that Quade didn't beat you to the punch on this one.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[mikkey 0]

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Your hatred for the US is quite noticeable

Just shows how ignorant you are... I do not hate the US, I like the place. I am not a fan of the current administrations foreign police - but that goes for many other people including many in the US.
But I do dislike people like you if what you write in your posts is your honest opinion. Just because you dislike the KKK does not mean you dislike the US....

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When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

[juanesky 0]

THe sad part is you are missing the purpose of Michele's post.

So go ahead feel good about yourself and what you stand for, for many of us know in fact also what you think and portray yourself as.....and blue skies.....

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[Michele 1]

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I just can't believe that Quade didn't beat you to the punch on this one

LOL, yeah...I sorta had expected him to get this up there...oh well.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[Atlas 0]

It's unfortunate that good news doesn't get as many responses as bad news. The reason being, in my opinion, is bad news is easy to defend / argued about.

Good news has to be taken as it is, so all of these argument hungry people don't have anything to say.

:)

But thanks for posting it, I never read news sites, simply for the reason that 90% of the news is crap.

Edit: I read slashdot instead :)

[tinfoil 0]

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Do you have any idea what this resolution is about? It sets out the principle that the administration of Iraq is returned to the prople of Iraq as soon as possible and makes it possible for countries (as a legal basis) to give aid so that Iraq can rebuid the infrastructure that was destroyed during the war. What an amazing triumph fro the Bush administration . Just shows in what deep shit the US is in in Iraq after the war when something like this need to be celebrated as a "triumph".

Cheers mikkey, good points. Its a real change for the US, shows just much the US needs the UN. I don't know if I should laugh, or just shake my head when I think about what the US administration was saying about the UN before the war. That the US could "go it alone" or how the UN was not needed in the modern world, how it was just an inconvenience. And even back to when the ICC was in the works when the US withheald money from the UN.

I personally feel this is terrible. It still leaves little to no room for the UN to be in charge. I could see being a way to bring US troops home out of harms way, with that hope that public will forget about the deaths before elections.

“- - Sumo is the greatest of sports. It has power, grace, speed and cluture. And most importantly, two fat bastards smacking the shit out of each other. ”

[wmw999 2,439]

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Honestly, you hadn't heard? It was all over the news tonight, and I heard about it on the morning shows on MSNBC.

The "scum-sucking" etc part hasn't been all applied in one sentence to me. But most of those words have been applied to liberals.

As far as the news, between work, the baseball game, a church dinner, and postwhoring, I haven't listened to the news tonight.
Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)