NEW YORK: When the U.N. was established in the wake of World War II, South African prime minister Jan Smuts famously said it provided for peace with teeth. Friday, Britain and America sought to put those teeth into Kofi Annans Baghdad accord, with a resolution warning Iraq of the severest consequences if it impedes weapons inspectors again.
Although the implication is of an immediate attack on Iraq should inspections fail, those consequences are left deliberately vague in the draft resolution. But that hasnt stopped diplomatic bickering over semantics: France has already suggested substituting serious consequences; China says it wouldnt agree to even that wording; and Russia wonders why anybody would want to craft a resolution when Annan drew up a perfectly good memorandum. Not surprisingly, a vote isnt expected until next week. Any one of the five permanent members could veto the British plan.
Of course, it was ever thus. In the 53 years since Smutss quote, it has been nigh on impossible for the U.N. to threaten force -- Korea, Bosnia, Somalia and Iraq in 1991 being the exceptions. It would take something of a miracle for those teeth to be bared this time.