Iraqi crisis: between United Nations and United States

American president Bill Clinton warned that UN sanctions would stay in place as long as Iraqi president Saddam Hussein remains in power. Clinton's latest statement has brought up an important question in the face of the new international system.

Last week, UN arms inspectors evacuated Iraq, suspending their post-Gulf war disarmament work, as the Security Council, warned Baghdad of "serious consequences."

Indeed, the Iraqi issue is not with United Nations but the American administration and its President Clinton.

So, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Said al Sahhaf appealed for talks with the United States - not with the United Nations - "without preconditions," but said he expects Washington to launch a military strike. "We are ready for serious political dialogue with the USA without preconditions," he told a press conference.

But Clinton persists in attacking Iraq and dispatched the carrier group George Washington to the Gulf, saying: "It's appropriate under the circumstances." The US seeks to strongarm Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other neighbors into giving a green light for military strikes. The US knows that it cannot do so, without the blessing of the Saudis.

In the meantime, American obstinacy has mobilized thousands of Iraqi demonstrators, waving portraits of President Saddam Hussein. Hundreds streamed into the presidential place to serve as human shields.

In a main mosque in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, prayer leader Sheikh Abdel Razzek All Saadi warned that, "The Iraqi people will never allow the American spear to return to their country."

In addition, all the Arab leaders and their people oppose any American military action against Iraq. The only one supporting the US is Britain which always supports the US to magnify its importance and its own role, and in turn the US uses Britain as a cover to give the illusion of "multilateral support" for US initiatives instead of the fact of "unilateral action" taken by the US.

Is the US the whole international system? Will it respect the will of the Arabs? or will it simply go about to prove that no one can stand up to the US no matter how legitimate their grievances may be. This behavior by the US is a threat to the entire international system.