U.S. fails to address security problem in Iraq: Hassan
\n
\nFabiola Desy Unidjaja
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The recent violence in Iraq has proven that the United States is
\nincapable of managing conflict in the country and needs
\nparticipation from the international community to improve the
\nsituation, says Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda.<\/p>\n
Hassan said on Monday that the U.S. authority had fully
\nrealized their lack of capability and had asked for assistance.<\/p>\n
"We have seen the situation deteriorate in Iraq and it shows
\nthat the U.S. unilateral approach has failed to settle the
\nproblem," Hassan said.<\/p>\n
He was commenting on the worsening security situation in Iraq
\npunctuating in a bomb attack last Friday that killed more than
\n100 people. This is so despite Bush's declaration on May 1 that
\nthe war between U.S.-led coalition troops with Saddam Hussein's
\nhad ended.<\/p>\n
The presence of the coalition forces -- the U.S., Britain and
\nAustralia -- has failed to ensure the safety of the Iraqis,
\nfollowing a series of bomb attacks in the past few weeks.<\/p>\n
These attacks had claimed the lives of United Nations special
\nenvoy Sergio Vieira de Mello and Shi'ite cleric Ayatollah
\nMohammad Baqer al-Hakim.<\/p>\n
Earlier last week, America's top military man in Iraq Gen.
\nJohn Abizaid said that Iraq needed Muslim peacekeepers to tackle
\nthe hit-and-run attacks plaguing the coalition force.<\/p>\n
"The U.S. also recognized the need to include other countries
\nto improve the security situation in Iraq," Hassan said.<\/p>\n
When asked whether Indonesia would participate in such a
\nmultinational force, Hassan said that it would depend on the
\nstatus of the peacekeeping troops.<\/p>\n
He said Indonesia would refuse to join a U.S.-proposed
\nmultinational peacekeeping force to Iraq and that it would only
\ntake part in such a force under the auspices of the United
\nNations (UN).<\/p>\n
"Our position is clear that we will join peacekeeping efforts
\nin Iraq only under the auspices of the UN," Hassan said.<\/p>\n
"Even if the U.S-led peacekeeping troops were endorsed by the
\nUN Security Council, we would still not participate," the
\nminister said.<\/p>\n
Hassan said that the UN Security Council was currently
\ndiscussing the possibility of endorsing a multinational
\npeacekeeping force led by the U.S.<\/p>\n
"However, we will wait for the results of the discussion and
\nif the ongoing debate results in the establishment of a UN
\npeacekeeping force then we will participate," Hassan stressed.<\/p>\n
Washington has led multinational peacekeeping forces several
\ntimes such as in Somalia and received endorsement from the UN
\nSecurity Council.<\/p>\n
Hassan said that Indonesia had consistently rejected any form
\nof unilateralism.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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