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September 24, 2003
President Bush Reverses Position on Necessity of U.N. Support in IraqOn Tuesday President Bush took his appeal for aid in the reconstruction of Iraq to the United Nations, the same body he dismissed a year ago as nearly "irrelevant"1 for failing to support his war against Saddam Hussein. With the request, delivered in a speech at the U.N., Bush continued backing away from the White House position of this spring when his aides declared the U. S. military victory entitled Bush and a few allies to take full control over policies in post-war Iraq. In April National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice made it clear the U.S.-led team intended to be in charge: "It would only be natural to expect that after having participated and having liberated Iraq … that the coalition would have the leading role."2 The deaths of numerous American troops over the summer and escalating violence and chaos led Bush to reverse course earlier this month. Bush now insists the U.N. nations he once belittled "have an opportunity -- and the responsibility -- to assume a broader role in assuring that Iraq becomes a free and democratic nation."3 Sources: 1. Remarks by the President in Address to the United Nations General Assembly, 9/12/02. 2. White House Special Briefing, 4/04/03.. 3. Presidential Speech, White House, 9/7/03  Misleader Archive |
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