Anti-War EU States Seek Defense Pact Without UK

More bad news for world unity: France, Germany, Belgium hold a summit on defense integration, without Britain. Germany's armed forces are severely underfunded and outdated. Belgium has no major force to speak of. Only France has a significant military force.

2:40:53 PM    comment   

Putin: Iraq war poses security threat

Misleading headline for this article. Content actually indicates Putin observes that the war against Iraq is what poses a threat to the region, including the Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet Union), and enumerates actions planned by the Russians to condemn the U.S. in the United Nations forum, and to oppose U.S. and British military administration of post-war Iraq.

excerpt:

The minister said he had unanswered questions regarding the "observation of norms of international humanitarian law in the course of the operation (in Iraq), and in particular the prohibition on attacking civilians and civilian objects, using non-precision weapons, and harming the environment."

Reiterating Moscow's opposition to the U.S.-led war against Iraq, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement decrying "the trampling of international law in the Persian Gulf and the decision to turn away from multilateral to unilateral military solutions."

Ivanov said Russia would move to protest the continuing war by asking the United Nations to determine if the United States had broken international law.

"Together with other states, we will put this question before the U.N.'s legal department," Ivanov said, adding "these arguments must be confirmed so we can use them as a strong weapon."

Ivanov told Russian legislators he would seek a ruling by the United Nations describing the U.S.-led operation as "aggression," a move that would bring about further measures.

Ivanov reiterated that war in Iraq cannot be justified by Resolution 1441.

Ivanov also snubbed Washington, dismissing a worldwide U.S. request to shut down all Iraqi diplomatic missions and expel diplomats.

2:32:43 PM    comment