The other side of the problem (Middle East Conflict)

I was thinking today about the protests that many of us are embarking upon in our home countries. Most of us are petitioning our governments to prevent a war occurring in the Middle East. We should continue to do this.

However has anyone given thought to petitioning Iraq to take action to prevent a possible conflict?

We are once again in one of those situations where no one is willing to back down. Iraq included, as seen by the UN's reports on the findings of its weapons inspectors.

Maybe whilst we petition our governments to prevent war and find another solution, we, as citizens of the world, should also petition Iraq to assist in creating the conditions in which peace will be possible. Lets make peace not war an inevitability.

I would like to hear what you think about this additional protest. As a pre-cursor, I have included details of Iraqi representatives around the globe:

(please excuse the caps, not shouting, but my original source was all written in uppercase)

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ - AUSTRALIA
ADDRESS: 48 CULGOA CIRCUIT
O'MALLEY A.C.T 2606 - AUSTRALIA
TELEPHONE NO. : (02)-62861333
FAX NO. : (02)-62901788

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLC OF IRAQ -CANADA
ADDRESS: 215 MCLEOD STREET
OTTAWA,ONTARIO
K2P 0Z8 CANADA
TELEPHONE NO. :613-236-9177/613-236-2302
FAX NO.613-567-1101
TELEX NO.: 0534310
E-mail:iraqyia@on.aibn.com

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ - SOUTH AFFRICA
ADDRESS: 281,CANOPUS ST. , WATERKLOOF RIDGE
P.O.BOX 11089 HATFIELD 0028 PRETORIA
TELEPHONE NO. :460996
FAX NO. : 460967

THE PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC
OF IRAQ TO THE UNITED NATIONS - UN
ADDRESS: 14 EAST 79 STREET,
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10021 / USA
TELEPHONE NO. 212-7374433
FAX NO. : 212-7721794
Email:iraq@un.int

http://www.uruklink.net/mofa/mofa/epage.htm

[ 16. February 2003, 15:06: Message edited by: Rozi ]

Good idea Roz.

Too bad we all couldn't be as level-headed as you are.

(BTW been meaning to get back to you about our other conversation but just don't have enough time.Will do so asap.)

There are two sides to every coin. There are atleast two sides to every problem.

True Ray, but you have to actually "look" at the other side of the coin, for it to make cents, hey

couldn't restrain yourself, could you Stone?

Alas no Rozi, not this time. I blame jack, though one day I expect to be judged for what I have refrained from saying (on a range of topics) rather than what I have said.

I like your idea, and I must admit that I hadn’t given it much thought until you brought up this topic. On reflection, I wont be sending a letter to the Iraq embassy. The way things stand at present, I feel the leaders in the US, Britain and Australia are acting like vigilantes, and I cannot condone their action. Furthermore, I’m extremely disappointed that our leaders have not really explored the possibility of other solution to this problem, hoping erroneously that war will solve all their problems. And what’s the rush anyhow? The inspections seem to be making ground. If I did write to Iraq, it would probably say something like “the only way this conflict can be avoided is if you give all your oil to the US”. That Iraq has WMD is certainly worrying and a threat to world peace, but in this situation, the person threatening conflict with WMD, and an end to world peace lives in the US.

If anyone has a one sided coin, I'd have to be Ray.

(All love dude, all love)

hmmmmm, a one sided coin? That would be something to see... (imagining strange Escher paintings/drawings)

I guess what I would be saying to Iraq is, if you are serious about protecting your people then do not give them an excuse to attack you. Can you imagine the effect if Iraq was to disarm? Where would the focus move to? It would of course have to move to those within the Australian, English and US governments who are warmongering. We would make it so.

At the same time here there is a point to be made, this is that Iraq should disarm.

At this stage in the argument it is commonplace for people to say "but America and other nations also have weapons of mass destruction" (gee that WoMD phrase rolls lightly off the tongue). And they would be right. But I would say deal with this first and then put your energy into disarming other nations. Otherwise it is as meaningless an excuse as the Australian government refusing to ratify the Kyoto Protocal "because it doesn't include developing nations".

NYC, I have refrained from really saying anything here because I wanted to see what people thought of the idea.

It would appear that some people might not want to say anything. Maybe they feel that anything they write to Iraq will be a waste of time as they wouldnt listen. Maybe it is just easyer to blame their governments instead of look at both sides of the perverbial coin.

However it has not been on the boards that long so... perhaps pepole just have yet to read it.