Let U.N. guide in supporting Iraq's reconstruction -- Akahata editorial, October 26At the international donors' conference in Madrid, the Japanese government pledged 1.5 billion dollars (165 billion yen) for assisting in Iraq's reconstruction.
The U.S. Bush administration, which invaded Iraq, has been urging other countries to dispatch their troops and contribute money with the aim of reducing the U.S. burden for the continuing military occupation of Iraq.
France, Russia, and Germany refused to dispatch troops or give money. A Finnish representative in charge of trade and development stated that any steps for Iraq's reconstruction and humanitarian assistance will be ineffective unless security is restored in Iraq.
Occupation hampers U.N.-led support
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke as if the international conference was based on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1511, saying, "The unanimous passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1511 has brought the international community together once again in support of this historic effort." However, no U.N. resolutions support this interpretation.
Resolution 1511 calls for an early end to the occupation of Iraq and for sovereignty to be restored to the Iraqi people. The call for support for Iraq was made on this premise.
Iraq suffered from a brutal invasion by U.S. and British forces. No one can deny that Iraqi people's livelihoods and the economy are in a state of crisis.
Clearly, the U.S. is to blame for hampering Iraq's reconstruction. It invaded Iraq and now fails to fulfill its duty as the country occupying Iraq to stabilize public well-being; it clings to the military occupation of Iraq and faces growing hatred and resistance from the Iraqi people.
In calling on the U.N. to support in Iraq's reconstruction, UNSC Resolution 1511 is flexible enough to add the phrase, "as circumstances permit." This is because the safety of U.N.-led support cannot be ensured due to strong resistance taking place against the occupation. An investigation report on the U.N. Baghdad headquarters explosion endorsed this by stating that in Iraq there is no place free from danger.
So long as the U.S. continues occupying Iraq, any funds from other countries will be of no use for assisting in Iraq's rehabilitation; they instead only help prolong the occupation. It was quite natural that the donors' conference failed to get new donors in addition to those that have already dispatched their troops to Iraq.
In order to provide humanitarian support for Iraq's reconstruction, the U.S. forces should be withdrawn immediately and the vicious circle of occupation and hatred should be broken.
Then, other countries would be able to support a U.N.-led reconstruction effort.
Japan's Koizumi Cabinet has played a significant role in going against the efforts to build such a U.N.-led framework.
The U.S. Bush administration has had the Koizumi Cabinet promise to contribute enormous amounts of money and used it as a lever to ask other nations to provide more money.
The Koizumi Cabinet stated that part of the money will be used for improving the public safety of Iraq. It means that the U.S. forces will use the Japanese people's tax money to conduct their mop-up operations in Iraq.
Strengthening its support for the U.S. military strategy, the Koizumi Cabinet is even trying to break with the world order of peace and further arouse Iraqi people's anger.
Major issue of general election
The Koizumi Cabinet's plans for sending troops and contributing money to assist the U.S. occupation of Iraq has become a major issue in the House of Representatives general election.
Ruling parties are supporting the government plan. The Democratic Party of Japan recently stated, "The problem is how the money is used."
The Japanese Communist Party firmly opposes dispatching the SDF and providing money to Iraq under the U.S. occupation. JCP Chair Shii Kazuo stated, "What is needed now is to end the military occupation led by the U.S.-British forces and establish a U.N.-led reconstruction setup."
By taking a lead in the effort to establish a U.N.-led reconstruction framework and end the U.S-British military occupation of Iraq, Japan would be able to earn trust from the peoples of the world and contribute to creating world peace. (end)