Superpowers, by their nature, don’t like to play by other people’s rules. It’s been over five weeks since President Bush stopped at the U.N. on his way to Baghdad, and though France and Russia say they’ll likely approve a tough new resolution for U.N. inspections, there’s still no ink.
There have been heated discussions behind closed doors; heated discussions in the open, drafts circulating, and leaders making all sorts of pronouncements. All the while, America’s military moves into position. Baghdad is cheering the U.N.’s restraint, saying that America has lost control, support, and momentum.
Now, it seems the White House is backing off, with Colin Powell signaling that regime change might not be needed after all. Diplomacy, bargaining, and multilateral hall of mirrors.
Guests:
Patrick Jarreau, Washington DC bureau chief, Le Monde
Nancy Soderberg, Vice President of the International Crisis Group, and former US Ambassador to the UN Security Council
and Masha Lipman, deputy editor of the weekly Russian Newsmagazine Ezhenedel’ny Zhurnal.