United Nations Security Council and Management of Global Crisis

United Nations Security Council and Management of Global Crisis

(A Case Study of U.S. Invasion of Iraq, 1991-2008)

ABSTRACT

This study explores and interrogates the role of United Nations Security in conflict management, using Iraq as a case study. We investigated the pervasive influence of the United States on the Middle East in general and Iraq in particular and how this impacted the United Nations Security Council’s role in conflict management. We raised tentative statements as follows:

There is a positive link between the invasions of Iraq by the U.S. and its Middle East policy, The interest of the U.S. and U.N appears to coincide on the need to institutionalize a western-styled development model. There is no positive link between the non-use of veto to stop the U.S. invasion of Iraq and international conspiracy among members of the Security Council.

We anchored our analysis on the Marxist Political Economy paradigm and noted that protection of the United States’ national interest in the Middle East exacerbated the conflict see the back page. At the end of our investigation, we arrived at the findings:

The invasion of Iraq by the U.S. was in line with the U.S. – the Middle East.

The economic interest of the U.S. and the U.N. is to institutionalize western values in the Middle East.

There is no positive link between the non-use of veto to stop the U.S. and its allies because they invaded Iraq without a UN mandate.

This study brings to the fore the hegemonic influence of the U.S. over the U.N. and how it generates global insecurity, thereby opening new areas of discussions and investigations on U.S. – U.N. roles in the resolution of the Middle East crisis. It equally brings to the fore intellectual burner the hi-tech politics being played by the big powers and indeed tends to question the veracity of the sovereign equality of member states. Finally, it questions the continued relevance of international law as a regulatory global framework.

We subdivided the study into five chapters: Chapter one concentrated on largely methodological issues. We concluded an extensive literature review, established a viable gap and discussed theoretical matters.

Chapter two examined U.S. Middle East policy and the invasion of Iraq. We attempted a historical overview of the Iraq conflict and equally interrogated U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Chapter three dwelt on issues related to U.S – U.N Middle East policy while Chapter four considered veto and power politics in the Middle East. Indeed, chapter five focused on the summary and conclusion.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Evaluation of the Iraq conflict cannot be completed without demystifying the roles played by two important actors- the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the United States of America (USA).

After suffering two devastating world wars, world leaders set machinery in motion to stop possible re-occurrence. According to Egbmuche- Okeke (2008:48), in persistent search of global peace, the United Nations Organization was established on October 24, 1945, and the main objective is the maintenance of world peace and security.

On the other hand, the United States stands out after the ‘cold war era’ while the opposing power, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) was dismembered; Krauthammer (2002:5) noted that:

Shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was clear that the world we had known for half a century was disappearing … I suggested that we had already entered the ‘unipolar movement…

Consequently, the United Nations system of an international organization that emerged after 1945 was in considerable measure the product of American idealism, imagination and political creativity. Others read our cues, accepted our visions followed our lead and took steps away from traditional international anarchy not only because they believed that the United States was powerful but also because they believed that the united states were right (Puchala, 1989:36)

From the foreign foregoing, it is not surprising that the United States uses the platform of the UN to achieve or pursue its national interest since the United Nations is the brainchild of the United States. However, the above situation is generating global insecurity. This is because nations that do not subscribe to Western values and the United States’ influence see this as domination and encroachment on their sovereignty. These nations in the bid to protect their national interest take certain actions that go contrary to international law and practices. For instance, Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait aimed to control a sizeable amount of oil reserve; if her aggression had gone unchecked, she would end up as the largest oil exporter. A position calculated to give Iraq power over the United States and its allies.

Consequently, Iraq was ejected from Kuwait by the United States-led forces under the United Nations Security Council mandate. By 2003, the United States and her coalition of the willing went to war with Iraq, with the aims of, among other things, effecting regime change, establishing a military base in Iraq and control of Iraq and control of Iraq’s oil reserves.

In this study, we shall examine those factors that mould the behaviour of the United States and these impacts on the United Nations Security Council in conflict management.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The coming together of many nations aimed at achieving their various national interests in the form of security, and political and socio-economic emancipation is expected to usher in peace and security in the international arena. Despite this, the international community is still bedevilled with insecurity, as manifested in inter and intra-state conflicts all over the world.

It is the duty of the United Nations, through the Security Council to curtail and manage these conflicts to avoid escalation. Mores, the unipolar nature of she international system makes the United States the most powerful nation with pervasive influence that is almost unstoppable in the United Nations Security Council.

Subsequently, many nations accused the United States of manipulating the United Nations Security Council to achieve its national interests. The disequilibrium caused by the United States’ interests, especially in the Middle East and the Arab world is being resisted. The resistance has triggered off widespread insecurity in the international system in the form of states sponsoring terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The United Nations Security Council can not handle this situation while promoting the intervention of the United States. In the guise to police the orchestrated situation, the United States pursues her national interest as witnessed in the Persian Gulf particularly in Iraq.

Moreover, in pursuit of her national interests, the United States uses the UN platform as long as it suits her, but the reverse is the case when it does not suit her Kennedy (2002:2-3) lamented that;

… the overall impression that America has given of late is that we simply don’t care what the rest of the world thinks. When we require assistance in rounding up terrorists, freezing financial assets and making air bases available for U.S. troops, we play with the team; when we don’t like international schemes, we’ll walk away.

The issue mostly overlooked in the literature is that the economic, political, ideological and socio-cultural policies of the United States are embedded in her major national interest, which is the ‘perpetuation of capitalist values. The following questions are posed to problematize this literature gap for consequent analysis.

1. Is there any link between the US invasion of Iraq and her Middle East policy?

2. Did the invasions of Iraq by the US correspond with the interest of the United Nations Security Council?

3. Is there any link between the non-use of veto to stop the US invasion of Iraq and international conspiracy among members of the Security Council?

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The broad objective of the stud is to interrogate the role of the United Nations Security Council in conflict management using the Iraq invasion of Kuwait in 1991 and the subsequent U.S. invasion of Iraq as specific case studies.

The specific objective of the research study are as follows;

1. To examine whether there is a link between the US invasion of Iraq and the Middle East policy.

2. To interrogate whether there are areas of convergence of interest between the United States and the United Nation. Security Council in the Middle East.

3. To investigate whether there is a link between the non-use of veto to stop the United States invasion of Iraq and international conspiracy among the Security Council members.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this study is twofold. First, it has theoretical significance and, second, practical relevance. The theoretical importance of the study is that it will add to the frontiers of knowledge on the issue under discussion. Also, students of social sciences and political science, in particular, will have added resources based on which to study and discover what transpired in the Iraq conflict, the role of United Nation Security Council played and the involvement of the United States. It will also add to the pools of literature in the area under study; and further and further research in Middle East studies.

On practical relevance, this study will equip policymakers and diplomats with the necessary working tools to face the demanding challenges of the ever-dynamic international system with a view to reducing global conflicts. It will also assist member states of the United Nations in the onerous task of trading lasting solutions to the Middle East crises and further strengthen the United Nation Security Council.

References

BOOKS

Ake, Claude (1981) A Political Economy of Africa. Ibadan: Longman Group.

Egbomuche – Okeke, Law (2008) International Politics, Conflict – Strategic Studies. Onitsha: Golden Value Books.

Groenwegen, Peter (1987) “Political Economy and Economics”. The New Palmgrave: A Dictionary of Economics, Vol. 3,pp. 791-792.

Murray, Milgate (1987) “Palmgrave’s Dictionary of Political Economy” The Palmgrave: A Dictionary of Economics, vol. 3, pp. 791-792.

Puchala, Donald J. (1989) “American Foreign Policy and the United Nations” the Reagan

Legacy, in Ivan Bernier, (eds.) Quebe: Center Quebecois des Relation Internationals.

Slaughter, Ann-Marie (2004) A New World Order. Princeton: University Press.

Woodward, Bob (2008) The War Within. New York: Simon and Schuster.

JOURNALS

Callinicos, Alex (2005) ‘Imperialism and Global Political Economic’. A quarterly Journal of Evolutionary Socialism. Issue 108, pp 3-5, October 17.

Puchala, Donald J. (1994) “Outsiders, Insiders and U.N Reform”. The Washington Quarterly. Vol. 17, pp 161-173.

MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS

The battle, Joyce (2004) “Declassified Documents of U.S. Support for Hussein”. Washington Post. Feb. 27.

Hockstadar, Lee (2002) “Arafat arrests three in arms incidence”. Washington Post. Jan.

Kennedy, Paul (2002) “Has U.S. Lost its way?” The Observer. Sunday March 3.

Khalat, Roula (2001) “Power sets out Bush line on Middle East” Financial Times, March 20.

Machlis, Avi (2001) “Israel bus blast casts shadow on pace process”. Financial Times.