US and Britain lonely in Iraq

Immediately following the bombing of the United Nations headquarters 
building in Baghdad, US Secretary of State Colin Powell announced that the 
US would seek a new resolution from the UN Security Council. The aim being 
to clear the way for other nations to send troops to help out the hard-
pressed US and British military forces occupying Iraq.

Powell had hoped that outrage over the bombing of the UN headquarters would 
help him stampede otherwise reluctant governments to fall in behind US 
wishes.

For some time the US has been scouring the world attempting to enlist other 
governments to send troops. But few countries have responded and those that 
have are sending only very small contingents. India is one of the countries 
whose right-wing government is sympathetic but needs a UN resolution to 
help it get over the strong opposition within India against its 
involvement.

It now appears that the US is not likely to go ahead with Colin Powell's 
hoped for resolution. Countries that opposed the war against Iraq are not 
likely to rush to the aid of the US which went ahead with the war without 
UN Security Council endorsement.

At the same time as pressing other countries to send troops and throw in 
money to help the US pay for the war, the US has made it clear that it will 
not give up its complete control over Iraqi affairs.

Even the usually compliant UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was not helpful, 
saying that approval for such a UN force "would imply not just burden-
sharing but also sharing decision and responsibility with the others. If 
that doesn't happen, I think it's going to be very difficult to get a 
second resolution that will satisfy everybody".

France's deputy UN ambassador Michel Duclos said that "Sharing the burden 
and the responsibilities in a world of equal and sovereign nation's means 
also sharing information and authority".