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Britain and America should not go it alone against Iraq, Cook
London, Sept 22: Britain and America must have broad international support before taking military action against Iraq, a senior member of Prime Minister Tony Blair`s cabinet said in an interview published today.
London, Sept 22: Britain and America must have broad international support before taking military action against Iraq, a senior member of Prime Minister Tony Blair's cabinet said in an interview published today.
“It is very important that any action taken on Iraq is one that does have international support,'' House of Commons leader Robin Cook was quoted by the daily ‘Telegraph’ newspaper as saying.
“What we need to do is to build the broadest possible coalition and make sure that it is Saddam and not US that is isolated in international opinion.''
The United States and Britain are working to convince a skeptical world of the need for military action to ensure Iraqi President Saddam Hussein does not maintain chemical and biological weapons or develop nuclear arms.
US President George W Bush asked Congress on Thursday for unlimited authority to take whatever action he sees fit against Iraq without Congressional approval or consultation. He cited the ‘high risk' that Iraq would use weapons of mass destruction or turn them over to terrorists.
Britain has firmly supported Bush's tough line against Iraq, but Blair has faced opposition in his own Labor Party and from the public to military action without UN approval.
According to newspaper reports, talk of impending military action has also split Blair's cabinet.
Cook, regarded as one of the cabinet's leading “doves", was quoted as saying he believed it was “very important that we do pursue the United Nations process as the way of resolving this. ''
The United States and Britain are working to convince a skeptical world of the need for military action to ensure Iraqi President Saddam Hussein does not maintain chemical and biological weapons or develop nuclear arms.
US President George W Bush asked Congress on Thursday for unlimited authority to take whatever action he sees fit against Iraq without Congressional approval or consultation. He cited the ‘high risk' that Iraq would use weapons of mass destruction or turn them over to terrorists.
Britain has firmly supported Bush's tough line against Iraq, but Blair has faced opposition in his own Labor Party and from the public to military action without UN approval.
According to newspaper reports, talk of impending military action has also split Blair's cabinet.
Cook, regarded as one of the cabinet's leading “doves", was quoted as saying he believed it was “very important that we do pursue the United Nations process as the way of resolving this. ''
Bureau Report