It is both honor and pleasure to be among you today in Oslo, the capital of peace during the celebration of The Noble Prize of Peace. Peace is the law of life, which achieves security, stability and development for people. It is, however, impossible to achieve peace among human beings without a coexistence that is based on tolerance, dialogue and renunciation of violence and terrorism, because the culture of hatred and vengeance can only bring destruction and pave the way for creating political violence and tragedies among societies.
After the fall of Nazism in the Second World War and despite the experiences of peoples and humanity, the world was exposed to many armed conflicts and violation of human rights. The absence of democracy, peaceful transformation of power, tolerance among different religions and rule of law are the reasons behind such conflicts.
Since the First World War took place, the International Community has been considerably concerned about the fundamental rights of the humankinds. Therefore, the necessity of paying respect to the human rights has steadily been increased despite armed conflicts that arise amongst people. Afterwards, the human beings appear as defenders of the international law to avoid the violation of their inalienable rights regardless to their nationality, belief, color, race or religion.
In Iraq, the demised dictatorial regime dangerously violated human rights in the last four decades. The deadly regime committed many international crimes in Kurdistan, such as: the use of banned weapons in the city of Halabja, in a campaign called “Anfal,” the mass extermination and execution of Faiyli Kurds and Barzani. Also, the Shiite Arabs were exposed to extermination campaigns especially during and in the wake of their uprising in 1991, after the liberation of Kuwait, where the fate of thousands of them ended in mass graves. Many holy sites were destructed in operations of revenge by the dictatorial regime. Being warmonger the former regime started regional wars and threatened the peace. It is important to mention that even some of the Sunni Arabs have not been excluded from such campaigns.
With the help of the Coalition Forces, the liberation of Iraq in April 9th, 2003, indicated the end of the dictatorial regime. Afterwards, a national government was established that gave the Iraqi state a new form and redefined it to a voluntary union, which is a Federal Republic. According to the new permanent constitution all citizens are equal and all the resources will be distributed justly among the inhabitants. Though, the same constitution was accepted by the Iraqis in a national referendum, we maintain our reservation because it does not mention The International Declaration of Human Rights as one of its chapters. Moreover, the constitution may contain partial discrimination between the sexes as it has ignored the rights of women that should be equal to the rights of men.
The constitution fails to achieve the establishment of a civil society and democracy entirely. However, we tried to bridge such gaps during our participation in the Drafting Committee; yet, we encountered many difficulties due to the presence of some people who are infected by national fanaticism and religious extremism.
The dark period of the previous regime has demised; yet, the forces of terror, with regional and internal support, commit many crimes against humanity in central and southern parts of Iraq, because they apply the policy of extremism and the hatred. Those groups believe in the language of violence and apply it against the human rights. Hundreds of innocent civilians fell daily as victims of the sectarian violence. Therefore, the people of Iraq are in desperate need of support from the international community.
The situation, however, is quite different in Iraqi Kurdistan, specifically in the three governorates that are enjoying a self-rule since 1991, there peace and security prevail. The Regional Government of Kurdistan is working tirelessly to secure the region, something every visitor to the region witness coexistence, tolerance, religious pluralism and respect which pays to the holy sites. Besides, women are playing a considerable role in the governmental institutions and the society as well.
The Kurdish people suffered oppression to a large extent under the repressive regimes that ruled Iraq and stood against their ambitions for freedom and independence. Despite all harsh circumstances, the Kurds continued their struggle towards democracy to be able to live safely in their homeland. It is the result of the culture of tolerance which Kurds learnt from the Immortal leader Mustafa Barzani and was maintained by the President of Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani. Such motives are clear through his continuous calls for a national reconciliation among the Iraqis and to transform Kurdistan to an oasis of peace and security in the middle of an area that is ignited by violence. His Excellency expressed his beliefs frankly in an interview when he said, “Our success in Kurdistan is due to our desire to prevent the culture of retaliation.”
Therefore, President Barzani initiated many national reconciliation conferences for the people of Iraq in Hewler, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. Clearly, without national reconciliation, which is a form of tolerance, dialogue and renunciation of terrorism, it is impossible for Iraq to stabilize and for Iraqis to live in peace. His Excellency, Mr.Jalal Talabani the President of Iraq, also a veteran Kurdish leader, is playing an active role in the Iraqi government to precede dialogue and national reconciliation despite many obstacles. Also, the Shiite parties are playing an active role in this matter.
Since the agreement of Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide that the United Nations adopted in 1948 prohibits amnesty to such related criminals and they will be deprived of their constitutional immunity. The process of the national reconciliation in Iraq excludes war criminals. Therefore, anyone accused of such crimes must be trialed in a court in accordance to the standards of the international criteria of fair trials. Based on this, the former president of Iraq and a number of his aids are tried for committing international crimes.
Ladies and Gentlemen and distinguished guests:
The ordeal of violence, through which Iraq is passing, is the result of the incorrect policies of the former authoritarian regime against the Iraqis. Eventually, that policy created a tendency among some people to react violently against the members of the ruling Baath Party after the liberation of Iraq in 2003. The Committee of De-Baathification has formed and it already has been a target of a lot of controversies. Some personalities think that the idea of such a committee disagrees with not the principles of the human rights and contradicts the principles of the national reconciliation. Other personalities, however, believe that the purpose of such a committee is to eradicate the ideology of the Baathisim in Iraq rather than to root out the members of the Baath party because the former dictatorial regime obliged many Iraqis to join the brutal dissolved party by using means of threatening and frightening.
In spite of the disparate opinions amongst Iraqis regarding the process of De-Baathification and the national reconciliation, whose aim is to reach a social peace, there are many principles and previous reconciliation examples to follow, for instance the experiment of South Africa. Without considering such principles, we can not talk about reconciliation, stability or about the achievement of peace and harmony in our society. The idea of the De-Baathification in Iraq is supported by Article Seven of the current Iraqi Constitution, which considered the idea of Baathisim similar to the idea of Nazism and the excommunicating thought of the terrorists.
It can be argued that the successfulness of any attempt for reaching reconciliation and dialogue in Iraq must be based on drawing distinction among the following-mentioned three components in Iraq:
1. The Ba’athists and Non-Ba’athists War Criminals: The list includes those who committed international crimes such as war crimes and other crimes against humanity, i.e., the crimes which have been committed by the former president and a number of his aids who are been tried in Iraq now. Such criminals must be punished according to the Iraqi law and other related international agreements that are signed by Iraq. It is impossible to have reconciliation and dialogue with them with accordance to the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. It is noteworthy to mention that the crimes which are currently committed by the terrorists in Iraq belong to this category.
2. The Baathists affiliated with the former regime but have not committed any crimes: We believe that there is no objection to reconciliation with them and taking benefit from them provided that they only recognize their previous mistakes publicly before the people of Iraq and declare dissociation from the Baath Party and the crimes of the former regime. So, reconciliation is the foundation of social peace, security, harmony and stability and will lead to put an end to violence and individual retaliation. We basically mean that reconciliation must be done with these people after the trial of Saddam and his aids to be able to itemize each part and deal with them on legal bases. It should neither be allowed for the Baath Party to return to the political arena nor to be regarded as a part of the political pluralism.
3. Other Criminals: Common crimes are the result of an anti-law behavior that are mentioned in the Iraqi Penal Code provided that they neither threaten international security and peace nor extends its influence out of the country, such as: stealing, rape, killing, torture…etc. There are many criminals who belong to this category. Those criminals were in jail before the liberation of Iraq but the regime released them before its fall to shake the new security situation. Therefore, they must be prosecuted for their crimes.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
According to the First Article of the Iraqi constitution, the system of the government is to be federal, and Article 118 of the constitution deals about the establishment of regional federations. The reasons for the resurgence of the idea of federalism is due to the importance of democratic values, paying respect to human rights, especially the rights of the minorities and the failure of the totalitarian regimes. It has also related to new economic and political variables and the relative concept of sovereignty of the states, which became non-absolute (limited).
Many Shiite parties desire to implement the successful experience of Kurdistan in management and achievement of security, i.e., splitting Iraq to federal regions. However, there are many opponents to federalism in Iraq, as they prefer to implement a central government similar to the former regime and claim that federalism will split Iraq to several small countries.
The different perceptions about federalism have caused the Iraqi people many conflicts. Therefore, intensive dialogue is necessary to bridge the gaps among them, as the constitution itself rules out federalism to be the system of the government. It is important to mention that federalism is implemented in many countries simply because the idea of unity is the best mechanism to create room for every part to participate in the government, especially in a multi-national country like Iraq. Applying federalism in Iraq will certainly bring peace and stability to the country.
One of the contentious topics that is noteworthy to mention is Kirkuk, which is the key to democracy and peace in Iraq. The city of Kirkuk was exposed to the policy of Arabization under the former regimes Iraq, particularly Saddam’s regime. The original inhabitants of the city were expelled from their homes and were replaced by Arabs. Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution has drawn the Road Map to solve this problem. To respect the rights of the Kurds and the people of Kirkuk, the implementation of Article (140) which contains plan and schedule is very crucial because it guarantees the historical coexistence among Iraqis.
The core obstacle to dialogue and reconciliation is certain parties who are currently participating in the political process in Iraq owing to their reject to dialogue and reconciliation. They desire to amend or abrogate the constitution which was passed in a referendum, to retreat the process of De-Ba’athification, pave the way for the return of the former regime highly placed persons, a central authority besides that they want to support terrorists and withdrawal of the allied forces.
The ongoing trial of the former dictator Saddam and his aids is nether an obstacle to dialogue, tolerance and national reconciliation nor against social peace among Iraqi elements. It is, however, the result of the implementation of the international laws and treaties that must be followed and respected. Never… it is not a political trial, because demanded international criteria are part of its formation and international and Iraqi Penal Code rule out the punishment of criminals and the compensation of the victims. Therefore, we believe that Saddam’s trial is a fair trial, and it will eventually decrease the level of violence and pave the way for a national reconciliation.
We believe that feasible dialogue between the people of Iraq will be through mutual respect and recognition of the rights of every sect, especially the rights of Kurds, Turkmen, Chaldeans and Assyrians. Also, it is imperative for the Arabs in Iraq in particular and in the Arab Nation in general to understand the reality of the existence and history of Kurds in the region: The Kurdish people in Iraq are part of the Kurdish Nation, not the Arab Nation, they have existed in the region for thousands of years and their history precedes the history of Arabs, Persian and Turks. Therefore, any proper and successful dialogue between Arabs and Kurds must be based on the above-mentioned facts.
The human rights issue continues to be a leading reason behind many conflicts in the modern era, due to the policies of the totalitarian regimes in some countries of the world that render the absence of democracy and the rule of law. So it is the duty of the international community to intervene and protect such rights to avoid conflicts and protect international peace and security, as the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, himself, confirmed that the violation of the human rights is a leading factor that threatens the security and peace of the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Please allow me to remind of a statement made by the philosopher John Locke, “Whenever Totalitarianism ends, the rule of law beings.” And without voluntarily respect to the law to build a civil society that is far from violence and terrorism, it will be impossible to build democracy and social peace in Iraq.
Lastly, I conclude my speech by the statement of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln in 1863, describes the current Iraq, which is plagued by violence to build democracy. “The Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not pass away from the Earth,”
Thank you,
The speech was delivered in Oslo, in the third conference on International law and the situation of human rights during 9-12 of December, 2006.
I thought Dr Alfadhil speech is outstanding.He ,as always does, sheds some light on several obstacles that are facing the international peace and security. the removal of such obstacles require committment and cooperation by the international community. Middle east is where the most vicious fight between Good and evil.the winner will shape world politic,therefore all good peoples in the world must take part in the fight against terrorism should they want their children to coexist and lives in peace.
IN THE PAST MONTH THIS POST SEEMS SOMEHOW TO HAVE RESONATED.THERE HAVE BEEN NEARLY 500 VIEWS.
BILL RICHARDSON SUPPORTS SOFT PARTITION IN IRAQ
September 15th, 2007
Bill Richardson as a state Governor, ex-congressman, ex-secretary of Energy and Ambassador to the UN is arguably the most qualified of all the presidential candidates. He also happens to speak Spanish and French fluently and God knows our international relations need improvement.
The following was posted in the website of the Babalonians
Richardson Supports Soft Partition in Iraq September 14, 2007 •
September 13, 2007
Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson calls the president’s troop withdrawal plan “a shell game,” taking out the 30-thousand troops that were deployed just six months ago for the “surge.”
In Sioux City, Thursday, he told a crowd of about 50 people, who packed VFW Post 1973, that his solution is the total withdrawal of all U-S troops, as soon as possible.
Richardson announced that– if elected– he’d withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq in six to eight months. “Our kids are in danger,” said Richardson. “They’re targets.”
Richardson says total withdrawal would do two things: allow the country to try “diplomatic” solution, and force the Iraqis to unite, to take control of their own country. “You can’t start reconciliation, or rebuilding, or reconstruction of Iraq until we pull all of our troops home,” Richardson said.
Richardson suggests partitioning Iraq into three entities– run by one central government. Oversight would be done by U-N peacekeepers. But, a complete withdrawal is a tough sell to some veterans in the crowd. Dusty McDougle served three years in Vietnam, and doesn’t want to see past military mistakes repeated. “I think they need to stay over there and protect it,” McDougle said. “And, prove that we are still the “Number One” country. And, for freedom.”
Kenny Grimes agrees. The Navy veteran says some combat troops have to stay behind to ensure success in Iraq. “I think we should leave maybe 50% of our troops overseas for safety reasons, and protect the embassy, civilians that work over there,” Grimes said. “I think some should come back. But, I still think it should be a military operation.”
Richardson says most Americans he’s talked with agree that America can’t be the world’s “policeman,” forever. But, he says, the U-S should be the world’s “conscience.”
He says there’s another advantage to withdrawing all American troops, the billions of dollars spent in Iraq could be used for healthcare and education.
Source: KTIC.com
Posted by gasdocpol
Filed in Bush, iraq, mideast, politics, war | Edit
2 Responses
Tolerance and Dialogue are the Bases to a Peaceful Federal Iraq
By
Munther Al Fadhal
http://www.fadhal.net
Ladies and Gentlemen and distinguished guests:
It is both honor and pleasure to be among you today in Oslo, the capital of peace during the celebration of The Noble Prize of Peace. Peace is the law of life, which achieves security, stability and development for people. It is, however, impossible to achieve peace among human beings without a coexistence that is based on tolerance, dialogue and renunciation of violence and terrorism, because the culture of hatred and vengeance can only bring destruction and pave the way for creating political violence and tragedies among societies.
After the fall of Nazism in the Second World War and despite the experiences of peoples and humanity, the world was exposed to many armed conflicts and violation of human rights. The absence of democracy, peaceful transformation of power, tolerance among different religions and rule of law are the reasons behind such conflicts.
Since the First World War took place, the International Community has been considerably concerned about the fundamental rights of the humankinds. Therefore, the necessity of paying respect to the human rights has steadily been increased despite armed conflicts that arise amongst people. Afterwards, the human beings appear as defenders of the international law to avoid the violation of their inalienable rights regardless to their nationality, belief, color, race or religion.
In Iraq, the demised dictatorial regime dangerously violated human rights in the last four decades. The deadly regime committed many international crimes in Kurdistan, such as: the use of banned weapons in the city of Halabja, in a campaign called “Anfal,” the mass extermination and execution of Faiyli Kurds and Barzani. Also, the Shiite Arabs were exposed to extermination campaigns especially during and in the wake of their uprising in 1991, after the liberation of Kuwait, where the fate of thousands of them ended in mass graves. Many holy sites were destructed in operations of revenge by the dictatorial regime. Being warmonger the former regime started regional wars and threatened the peace. It is important to mention that even some of the Sunni Arabs have not been excluded from such campaigns.
With the help of the Coalition Forces, the liberation of Iraq in April 9th, 2003, indicated the end of the dictatorial regime. Afterwards, a national government was established that gave the Iraqi state a new form and redefined it to a voluntary union, which is a Federal Republic. According to the new permanent constitution all citizens are equal and all the resources will be distributed justly among the inhabitants. Though, the same constitution was accepted by the Iraqis in a national referendum, we maintain our reservation because it does not mention The International Declaration of Human Rights as one of its chapters. Moreover, the constitution may contain partial discrimination between the sexes as it has ignored the rights of women that should be equal to the rights of men.
The constitution fails to achieve the establishment of a civil society and democracy entirely. However, we tried to bridge such gaps during our participation in the Drafting Committee; yet, we encountered many difficulties due to the presence of some people who are infected by national fanaticism and religious extremism.
The dark period of the previous regime has demised; yet, the forces of terror, with regional and internal support, commit many crimes against humanity in central and southern parts of Iraq, because they apply the policy of extremism and the hatred. Those groups believe in the language of violence and apply it against the human rights. Hundreds of innocent civilians fell daily as victims of the sectarian violence. Therefore, the people of Iraq are in desperate need of support from the international community.
The situation, however, is quite different in Iraqi Kurdistan, specifically in the three governorates that are enjoying a self-rule since 1991, there peace and security prevail. The Regional Government of Kurdistan is working tirelessly to secure the region, something every visitor to the region witness coexistence, tolerance, religious pluralism and respect which pays to the holy sites. Besides, women are playing a considerable role in the governmental institutions and the society as well.
The Kurdish people suffered oppression to a large extent under the repressive regimes that ruled Iraq and stood against their ambitions for freedom and independence. Despite all harsh circumstances, the Kurds continued their struggle towards democracy to be able to live safely in their homeland. It is the result of the culture of tolerance which Kurds learnt from the Immortal leader Mustafa Barzani and was maintained by the President of Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani. Such motives are clear through his continuous calls for a national reconciliation among the Iraqis and to transform Kurdistan to an oasis of peace and security in the middle of an area that is ignited by violence. His Excellency expressed his beliefs frankly in an interview when he said, “Our success in Kurdistan is due to our desire to prevent the culture of retaliation.”
Therefore, President Barzani initiated many national reconciliation conferences for the people of Iraq in Hewler, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. Clearly, without national reconciliation, which is a form of tolerance, dialogue and renunciation of terrorism, it is impossible for Iraq to stabilize and for Iraqis to live in peace. His Excellency, Mr.Jalal Talabani the President of Iraq, also a veteran Kurdish leader, is playing an active role in the Iraqi government to precede dialogue and national reconciliation despite many obstacles. Also, the Shiite parties are playing an active role in this matter.
Since the agreement of Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide that the United Nations adopted in 1948 prohibits amnesty to such related criminals and they will be deprived of their constitutional immunity. The process of the national reconciliation in Iraq excludes war criminals. Therefore, anyone accused of such crimes must be trialed in a court in accordance to the standards of the international criteria of fair trials. Based on this, the former president of Iraq and a number of his aids are tried for committing international crimes.
Ladies and Gentlemen and distinguished guests:
The ordeal of violence, through which Iraq is passing, is the result of the incorrect policies of the former authoritarian regime against the Iraqis. Eventually, that policy created a tendency among some people to react violently against the members of the ruling Baath Party after the liberation of Iraq in 2003. The Committee of De-Baathification has formed and it already has been a target of a lot of controversies. Some personalities think that the idea of such a committee disagrees with not the principles of the human rights and contradicts the principles of the national reconciliation. Other personalities, however, believe that the purpose of such a committee is to eradicate the ideology of the Baathisim in Iraq rather than to root out the members of the Baath party because the former dictatorial regime obliged many Iraqis to join the brutal dissolved party by using means of threatening and frightening.
In spite of the disparate opinions amongst Iraqis regarding the process of De-Baathification and the national reconciliation, whose aim is to reach a social peace, there are many principles and previous reconciliation examples to follow, for instance the experiment of South Africa. Without considering such principles, we can not talk about reconciliation, stability or about the achievement of peace and harmony in our society. The idea of the De-Baathification in Iraq is supported by Article Seven of the current Iraqi Constitution, which considered the idea of Baathisim similar to the idea of Nazism and the excommunicating thought of the terrorists.
It can be argued that the successfulness of any attempt for reaching reconciliation and dialogue in Iraq must be based on drawing distinction among the following-mentioned three components in Iraq:
1. The Ba’athists and Non-Ba’athists War Criminals: The list includes those who committed international crimes such as war crimes and other crimes against humanity, i.e., the crimes which have been committed by the former president and a number of his aids who are been tried in Iraq now. Such criminals must be punished according to the Iraqi law and other related international agreements that are signed by Iraq. It is impossible to have reconciliation and dialogue with them with accordance to the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. It is noteworthy to mention that the crimes which are currently committed by the terrorists in Iraq belong to this category.
2. The Baathists affiliated with the former regime but have not committed any crimes: We believe that there is no objection to reconciliation with them and taking benefit from them provided that they only recognize their previous mistakes publicly before the people of Iraq and declare dissociation from the Baath Party and the crimes of the former regime. So, reconciliation is the foundation of social peace, security, harmony and stability and will lead to put an end to violence and individual retaliation. We basically mean that reconciliation must be done with these people after the trial of Saddam and his aids to be able to itemize each part and deal with them on legal bases. It should neither be allowed for the Baath Party to return to the political arena nor to be regarded as a part of the political pluralism.
3. Other Criminals: Common crimes are the result of an anti-law behavior that are mentioned in the Iraqi Penal Code provided that they neither threaten international security and peace nor extends its influence out of the country, such as: stealing, rape, killing, torture…etc. There are many criminals who belong to this category. Those criminals were in jail before the liberation of Iraq but the regime released them before its fall to shake the new security situation. Therefore, they must be prosecuted for their crimes.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
According to the First Article of the Iraqi constitution, the system of the government is to be federal, and Article 118 of the constitution deals about the establishment of regional federations. The reasons for the resurgence of the idea of federalism is due to the importance of democratic values, paying respect to human rights, especially the rights of the minorities and the failure of the totalitarian regimes. It has also related to new economic and political variables and the relative concept of sovereignty of the states, which became non-absolute (limited).
Many Shiite parties desire to implement the successful experience of Kurdistan in management and achievement of security, i.e., splitting Iraq to federal regions. However, there are many opponents to federalism in Iraq, as they prefer to implement a central government similar to the former regime and claim that federalism will split Iraq to several small countries.
The different perceptions about federalism have caused the Iraqi people many conflicts. Therefore, intensive dialogue is necessary to bridge the gaps among them, as the constitution itself rules out federalism to be the system of the government. It is important to mention that federalism is implemented in many countries simply because the idea of unity is the best mechanism to create room for every part to participate in the government, especially in a multi-national country like Iraq. Applying federalism in Iraq will certainly bring peace and stability to the country.
One of the contentious topics that is noteworthy to mention is Kirkuk, which is the key to democracy and peace in Iraq. The city of Kirkuk was exposed to the policy of Arabization under the former regimes Iraq, particularly Saddam’s regime. The original inhabitants of the city were expelled from their homes and were replaced by Arabs. Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution has drawn the Road Map to solve this problem. To respect the rights of the Kurds and the people of Kirkuk, the implementation of Article (140) which contains plan and schedule is very crucial because it guarantees the historical coexistence among Iraqis.
The core obstacle to dialogue and reconciliation is certain parties who are currently participating in the political process in Iraq owing to their reject to dialogue and reconciliation. They desire to amend or abrogate the constitution which was passed in a referendum, to retreat the process of De-Ba’athification, pave the way for the return of the former regime highly placed persons, a central authority besides that they want to support terrorists and withdrawal of the allied forces.
The ongoing trial of the former dictator Saddam and his aids is nether an obstacle to dialogue, tolerance and national reconciliation nor against social peace among Iraqi elements. It is, however, the result of the implementation of the international laws and treaties that must be followed and respected. Never… it is not a political trial, because demanded international criteria are part of its formation and international and Iraqi Penal Code rule out the punishment of criminals and the compensation of the victims. Therefore, we believe that Saddam’s trial is a fair trial, and it will eventually decrease the level of violence and pave the way for a national reconciliation.
We believe that feasible dialogue between the people of Iraq will be through mutual respect and recognition of the rights of every sect, especially the rights of Kurds, Turkmen, Chaldeans and Assyrians. Also, it is imperative for the Arabs in Iraq in particular and in the Arab Nation in general to understand the reality of the existence and history of Kurds in the region: The Kurdish people in Iraq are part of the Kurdish Nation, not the Arab Nation, they have existed in the region for thousands of years and their history precedes the history of Arabs, Persian and Turks. Therefore, any proper and successful dialogue between Arabs and Kurds must be based on the above-mentioned facts.
The human rights issue continues to be a leading reason behind many conflicts in the modern era, due to the policies of the totalitarian regimes in some countries of the world that render the absence of democracy and the rule of law. So it is the duty of the international community to intervene and protect such rights to avoid conflicts and protect international peace and security, as the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, himself, confirmed that the violation of the human rights is a leading factor that threatens the security and peace of the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Please allow me to remind of a statement made by the philosopher John Locke, “Whenever Totalitarianism ends, the rule of law beings.” And without voluntarily respect to the law to build a civil society that is far from violence and terrorism, it will be impossible to build democracy and social peace in Iraq.
Lastly, I conclude my speech by the statement of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln in 1863, describes the current Iraq, which is plagued by violence to build democracy. “The Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not pass away from the Earth,”
Thank you,
The speech was delivered in Oslo, in the third conference on International law and the situation of human rights during 9-12 of December, 2006.
I thought Dr Alfadhil speech is outstanding.He ,as always does, sheds some light on several obstacles that are facing the international peace and security. the removal of such obstacles require committment and cooperation by the international community. Middle east is where the most vicious fight between Good and evil.the winner will shape world politic,therefore all good peoples in the world must take part in the fight against terrorism should they want their children to coexist and lives in peace.
IN THE PAST MONTH THIS POST SEEMS SOMEHOW TO HAVE RESONATED.THERE HAVE BEEN NEARLY 500 VIEWS.
BILL RICHARDSON SUPPORTS SOFT PARTITION IN IRAQ
September 15th, 2007
Bill Richardson as a state Governor, ex-congressman, ex-secretary of Energy and Ambassador to the UN is arguably the most qualified of all the presidential candidates. He also happens to speak Spanish and French fluently and God knows our international relations need improvement.
The following was posted in the website of the Babalonians
Richardson Supports Soft Partition in Iraq September 14, 2007 •
September 13, 2007
Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson calls the president’s troop withdrawal plan “a shell game,” taking out the 30-thousand troops that were deployed just six months ago for the “surge.”
In Sioux City, Thursday, he told a crowd of about 50 people, who packed VFW Post 1973, that his solution is the total withdrawal of all U-S troops, as soon as possible.
Richardson announced that– if elected– he’d withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq in six to eight months. “Our kids are in danger,” said Richardson. “They’re targets.”
Richardson says total withdrawal would do two things: allow the country to try “diplomatic” solution, and force the Iraqis to unite, to take control of their own country. “You can’t start reconciliation, or rebuilding, or reconstruction of Iraq until we pull all of our troops home,” Richardson said.
Richardson suggests partitioning Iraq into three entities– run by one central government. Oversight would be done by U-N peacekeepers. But, a complete withdrawal is a tough sell to some veterans in the crowd. Dusty McDougle served three years in Vietnam, and doesn’t want to see past military mistakes repeated. “I think they need to stay over there and protect it,” McDougle said. “And, prove that we are still the “Number One” country. And, for freedom.”
Kenny Grimes agrees. The Navy veteran says some combat troops have to stay behind to ensure success in Iraq. “I think we should leave maybe 50% of our troops overseas for safety reasons, and protect the embassy, civilians that work over there,” Grimes said. “I think some should come back. But, I still think it should be a military operation.”
Richardson says most Americans he’s talked with agree that America can’t be the world’s “policeman,” forever. But, he says, the U-S should be the world’s “conscience.”
He says there’s another advantage to withdrawing all American troops, the billions of dollars spent in Iraq could be used for healthcare and education.
Source: KTIC.com
Posted by gasdocpol
Filed in Bush, iraq, mideast, politics, war | Edit
2 Responses
Joe Biden is one of the few who has recognised that partition of Iraq needs to be strongly considered.
He was a great choice for VP.