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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 2002)
National & world briefing benate begins debate on Iraq resolution Ron Hutcheson and Diego Ibarguen Knight Ridder Newspapers (KRT) WASHINGTON — The Senate opened de bate Thursday on a resolution that would clear the way for war with Iraq as President Bush again prodded the United Nations to get on board or get out of the way. “We’ll determine whether or not the U.N. Security Council wants to live up to its obliga tions,” Bush said during a talk to Hispanic leaders at the White House. But the president made no apparent headway in his efforts to win U.N. support | for possible military action. France and Russia continued to resist his push for a proposed U.N. resolution that would author-' ize force if Iraq fails to comply with strict disarmament terms. i In Congress, the acknowledgment among lawmakers that they will easily approve a war resolution next week deflated any sense of drama in their high-stakes debate, even though it carries potentially large conse quences. The House of Representatives and the Senate intend to vote next week for a res olution that will give Bush broad authority to wage war against Iraq on his timetable. “It’s up to us today to send a message to the world,” Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R Miss., said. At the United Nations, diplomats kept their focus on plans for a new round of weapons in spections in Iraq beginning as soon as mid OctobeF. Nations opposed to Bush’s hard-line approach want the United Nations to avoid J inspectors have a chance to to cooperate. The re a four-year absence i’s bid for a new U.N. force, and could be^ to his war plans. U.S. diplomats described a J consensus among members of the Se curity Council on the need for some type of new resolution establishing stronger terms a second U N. vote :aid iftursday an automatic ration officials have a fall are unable to convince the governing a new round of inspections. “There’s a general sense in there that we do still need greater clarity on arrangements to make sure inspections are really effec tive,” said one British diplomat who attend ed the meeting and who spoke on condition of anonymity. Yet while the Security Council appears re ceptive to setting tougher terms for inspection — including insisting on unfettered access to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s palaces — France and Russia still oppose including lan guage in this initial resolution that would au thorize military action if Iraq fails to cooper ate. Both nations hold veto power on the Security Council to approve a resolution with an automatic war trigger. If forced to deal with two U.N. votes, U.S. diplomats intend to make the resolution dealing with inspections so strongly worded that the United Nations would have little choice but to approve force is Saddam refuses to cooperate. Bush displayed no appetite for compromise as he pressed the United Nations again Thurs day to take a firm stand against Saddam. “My intent, of course, is for the United Nations to do its job,” the president said. “I think it’ll make it easier for us to keep the peace. My intent is for the world to under stand that the obligation is up to Saddam Hussein to disarm like he said he would do. . .. The military option is my last choice, not mylirst. . . . But Saddam has got to under stand, the United Nations must know, that the will of this country is strong.” © 2002, Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services. Knight Ridder correspondents Mark McDonald and Jodi Enda contributed to this report. Churches call seem to hear Steve Gushee Cox News Service WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A just war is hard to justify. Convinc ing people to embrace the idea might be even more difficult. The church has long set high the bar to a morally acceptable war. Currently the Vatican, the World Council of Churches and nearly 50 denominations are on record op posing military action in Iraq. Sadly, their opinion might not mat ter. The church seems to have lost its power to mold public opinion. As if to acknowledge their impo e of na llo the an A tence, most that the United Natiolj Council, not religious norms, authority to sanction against Saddam Husse The consensus of aj tions is a new additi cient criteria for mor just cause for using lethal force is the primary issue on that list. Most scholars agree that St. Au gustine initially wrestled with the problem of a just war in the fourth century. Catholic teaching evolved over eons of increasingly violent warfare, according to a 1993 state ment by the United States Catholic Force may be 1 rect a grave evil 4 tion of the basidj population or toll Conference on critical threat to a nation’s peace. The good to be achieved must sig nificantly outweigh the destruction needed to accomplish it. Although both parties might have legitimate concerns, the injustice to be addressed by warfare must be significantly greater than anything suffered by the other party. No more force may be used than is absolutely necessary. Civilians may never be the object of an at Ultimately, force may only be used as a last resort and only after all peaceful alternatives have been seriously explored and exhausted. As in so many religious issues, the conditions necessary to justify war are open to interpretation. That makes the authority of the inter preter critical. The church has lit tle. Roman Catholics routinely ignore their church’s teaching about birth control. Many disagree with its stand against the death penalty. They will not easily accept a “just war” argument from leaders whose direction they nonchalantly disre gard on other vital questions. Protestant leaders also try to sway the opinion of their flocks, but they are split asunder. Most oppose a war, but some evangelists, includ ing the ethics commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, strongly support the idea. Divided and discredited leader ship will convince no one — even when it’s right. Steve Gushee writes for the Palm Beach Post and can be reached at sgushee@pbpost.com. HEY STUDENT GROUPS! Advertise your upcoming events in the Oregon Daily Emerald. Special student rates. Call 346-3712 Use your UO student or faculty ID as your passport around town! With it, you can ride all buses on all LTD routes FREE*— anytime and anywhere LTD travels. Or, BREEZE around town! Catch the BREEZE to great shopping and restaurants. It’s the Way to Go! Look for your Handy Dandy Guide at the EMU or the LTD downtown center. It showcases shortcuts to and from the UO campus. iO Lane Transit District 687-5555 (Guest Services) ltd@ltd.lane.or.us (E-mail) WWW.ltd.org (Internet) 800-735-2900 (TTY)
