September 26, 2003
by
Mark Goldblatt
“No one can claim the right to use force unilaterally or preventively,” insisted French President Jacques Chirac in his address to the United Nations last Tuesday. He directed his comments, of course, at President Bush’s decision to use military force to bring Iraq into compliance with 17 U.N. resolutions.
That was the headline taken from Chirac’s speech. But equally significant were his pointed remarks about the gathering danger of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. “We must stand united to guarantee the universality of treaties and the effectiveness of nonproliferation regimes.”
Then Chirac got tough. He named names: “For the present, let us demand that North Korea completely, verifiably and irreversibly dismantle its military program; let us demand that Iran sign and implement unconditionally and without delay a strengthened nuclear safeguards agreement. . . .”
But what if North Korea and Iran ignore those demands?
Well, going by history, I suppose Chirac will make the demand again.
And again.
And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.
And after 17 demands, then what?
Well, that would be when Chirac would use France’s Security Council veto to block the United States from taking military action to enforce the United Nations demands.
C’est la vie.