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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=39162787

The Times Of India
February 4, 2003

TODAY'S EDITORIALS
Netizens Unite

-But what can all those around the world who oppose
this mindless militarism do other than feel powerless?
We believe that one easily accessible way for world
citizens to protest against this war is literally a
mouse click away. As inhabitants of an increasingly
globalised and borderless world, they should use the
ultimate instrument of supra-nationalism — the
Internet — to register their opposition and say no to
the war. Netizens of the world unite, you've nothing
to lose but your chains of chauvinism.


America's threatened war against Iraq has divided the
world. First between the few friendly governments that
support its unilateral action and the many that don't.
And second between officialdom on the one hand and the
people on the other. 

This latter division is particularly significant
because it has pitted democratically elected
governments that back Washington against the
overwhelming anti-war sentiment of their own people.
But none of this has made the slightest difference to
president Bush and his team of hawks.  In the Security
Council — where a cleverly-worded resolution,
implicitly authorising the use of military force,
awaits approval — Washington has used its immense
diplomatic and financial muscle to browbeat dissenting
member-states into changing their minds. Nor has this
carrot and stick approach remained confined to
backdoor official channels. According to a report
published on Sunday in the London-based Observer,
Washington has embarked on an unprecedented 'dirty
tricks' campaign — involving aggressive surveillance,
phone intercepts, the works — to force recalcitrant
Council delegates to fall in line. Given the overt and
covert pressures, it seems likely that before the vote
on the joint US-UK resolution is finally called,
Washington might well have secured the grudging
backing of the required two-thirds majority in the
Council. 

In such an eventuality, the three permanent Council
members — France, Russia and China — who have thus far
resisted the US war cry, may well conclude that the
price of formally opposing the resolution, through a
veto, is perhaps too heavy to pay. The irony, of
course, is that the US is bent on waging a war just
when Iraq has shown ever greater willingness to
cooperate with the UN weapons inspection programme;
the latest being its decision to destroy the Al Samoud
missiles. In other words, contrary to the US position,
the case in favour of extending the time-frame of the
inspections regime for a peaceful disarmament of Iraq
is today stronger than ever. But what can all those
around the world who oppose this mindless militarism
do other than feel powerless? We believe that one
easily accessible way for world citizens to protest
against this war is literally a mouse click away. As
inhabitants of an increasingly globalised and
borderless world, they should use the ultimate
instrument of supra-nationalism — the Internet — to
register their opposition and say no to the war.
Netizens of the world unite, you've nothing to lose
but your chains of chauvinism.

 

(To voice your views log on to no-war.indiatimes.com)
 


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