US-UK Airstrikes Against Iraq
Reactions, Explanations And Strategies

By M.R. Josse

INEVITABLY, the recent US-UK airstrikes against Iraqi military radar sites near Baghdad has set off a flurry of reactions and explanations while exposing the conflicting strategies of the protagonists. (It has been followed by strikes elsewhere, too.)

REACTIONS: Not surprisingly, Baghdad angrily vowed to avenge to teach US President George W. Bush, "son of the viper (former president) George Bush a lesson which he will never forget."

The first anti-Iraqi airstrike-since December 1998 led the Iraqi leadership to thus respond: "Iraq will continue to fight them (enemies) on land, in the air and at sea. Iraq will finally win."

Russia promptly condemned it in this way: "What the American military is in the process of doing, at the beginning of the new US administration, is a threat to international security."

Beijing retorted: "China opposes the armed intervention of any UN member state under any circumstances against any other nation without the express consent of she Security Council." (Later in the week she denied US allegations that she was helping Iraq upgrade its war-related communications system.)

Even France, which backed the creation of the two no-fly zones over Iraq and once flew airstrikes alongside US and British warplanes, expressed "incomprehension and discomfort."

The reaction of most Arab states was critical though there has been embarrassed silence among those Gulf monarchies that rely on US might for their security: Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the UAE.

While Saudi Arabia and Kuwait did not respond to Baghdad’s taunts that they were "accomplices in crime", Egypt—one of America’s closest allies in the region and one that had contributed troops to help evict Iraq from Kuwait in 1991—rejected the strikes as "a serious negative step" that endangered Iraq’s "safety and sovereignty."

In Jordan, which depends on Iraqi oil, the strikes were viewed as a clear if ominous message of strength from the new Bush administration to every country in the region.

If the Iranian state radio said "the violent attacks from the American air force are signs of the adventurism of the new administration of George W. Bush", even Turkey expressed regret and concern urging the US to consult with her on its Iraq policy.

EXPLANATIONS: As far as explanations go, the Pentagon has indicated that the strikes were in response to increased Iraqi activity over the past month and attempts to target US and British aircraft patrolling the no-fly zone.

British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, defended London’s action in much the same fashion adding that Iraq has neither complied with post-Gulf War resolutions on weapons of mass destruction nor given up on its claims to Kuwait.

It may be mentioned that earlier this year Iraq and alarmed Kuwait by stepping up its threatening talk against Kuwait with Odai Hussein, the son of the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, saying Kuwait should be included in a new map of Iraq.

Incidentally, Kuwait at this time sees its ties with Arab Gulf War allies tested by the lure of Iraqi oil wealth, the popularity of Saddam’s anti-Israeli rhetoric—given a boost by the continuing violence in the Middle East, and the election of hardliner Ariel Sharon as Israel’s new prime minister—and public anguish at the effects of sanctions on ordinary Iraqis.

Reportedly, Iraq has allocated half its UN-supervised oil-for-food contracts to Arab producers. Egypt expects to export $ 1 billion worth of goods to Iraq this year while Syria is planning to reopen a pipeline to carry Iraqi oil to Mediterranean port.

According to some analysts, the timing of the Anglo-American airstrikes against Iraq is meant to cloud the 26-27 February meeting in New York between an Iraqi delegation headed by Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed Al-Sahaf and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on issues related to sanctions and UN weapons inspection operations inside Iraq.

Others have pointed out that the US-UK raids come when Iraq is enjoying a diplomatic resurgence and an economic boom because of high world oil prices. As per the Washington Post, food, medicines and other goods are more readily available now than at any time since international sanctions were imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, leading to a 7-month occupation and touching off the Gulf War of 1991.

Significantly, Iraq has signed trade agreements with neighbouring countries and has upgrade diplomatic missions severely undermining America’s continuing efforts to isolate Iraq and bring about a regime change.

Be that as it may, what is also notable is that, shortly after the 16 February raids, the US and Israel began five days of joint exercises including tests of Patriot anti-missile missile. while US spokesman have been at pains to point out that the exercises were planned much before the raids on Baghdad, the ruling Baath party has threatened military retaliation against Saudi Arabia and Kuwait if they keep providing bases for such airstrikes.

STRATEGIES: With the diplomatic isolation facing the US and Britain, it is interesting that discussions are just underway (at the time of writing) between American and British diplomats on how to make sanctions against Iraq more effective (read against the ruling Iraqi elite, not the ordinary citizen.)

Notable, too, is that US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, "the reluctant warrior" who is traveling to the Middle East and Brussels has disclosed that the Bush administration is reviewing its Iraq policy.

In the meantime, of course, it would seem that Iraq’s "sympathy strategy" is working in her favour. Its four components are: Saddam would like to appear as victim, not villian: Air strikes will work against the US at the UN: In the process a ‘victimised’ Iraq is likely to get oil deals from France, Russia and China: And almost all Gulf War allies side with Iraq.

Nepal-China Economic Ties

By Gandhi Raj Kafle

THEIR Majesties the King and Queen are visiting one of Nepal’s close neighbours—the People’s Republic of China-at the invitation of President Jiang Zemin. There can’t be any doubt, the concerned diplomats in both the countries are attaching high significance to the visit. The visit of Their Majesties will surely help to strengthen Nepal-China ties in this 21st century.

In fact, attaching special importance to this kind of State visit, specially to a neighbourly country like China, has its various reasons. Among them, the major one for us, is that China is not a new country for Nepal in expanding international relations. There is a long history of friendship between the two nations and two peoples. Furthermore, the geo-political situation, mutually beneficial trade link fostered by neighbourly ties, and to a great extent, religious and cultural similarity have given us a solid ground for expanding and strengthening trustworthy between our two countries.

Against this backdrop, there is a bright future to tie the knot of friendship stronger and this is the evergreen potential to tap for both Nepal and China. Nepal is a small country while China is giant geographically and economically. In recent decades, China’s rising production of consumer goods, surging international trade and becoming economy have been inspiring achievements for one of its close neighbours, Nepal.

If we think on these Chinese successes, we may find sincerity and seriousness of purpose behind them for their national causes. This country’s pragmatic commercial policy and other efforts to open its economy have been amagingly successful. As a result, China records a positive impact in every sector of its national economy. Slowly, the country is becoming a global trade partner. China’s recent achievement to reform its economy for meeting growth target has, thus, become an interesting change to watch for both Asian and western countries.

In this competitive atmosphere, China is moving ahead fast. But, what will be the position of the Nepalese economy? Undoubtedly, enormous challenge to modernise our economy is there. The Nepalese economy is still infrastructurally deficient. Therefore, we still need economic and technical cooperation of friendly countries to be in infrastructurally good condition for fast growth. And, to meet this target, we will be able to achieve everything, if there is goodwill from the friends of Nepal.

As a good friend, China’s goodwill is always with us. China also knows Nepal’s economic vulnerability. And, the cooperation, which we have been receiving from it can be taken as a part of goodwill gesture to ease our economic troubles. The field of cooperation in Nepal for Chinese assistance too is satisfactorily expanding over these decades. Industries have been established, factories built, hospitals set up and roads constructed with Chinese cooperation. These all show China’s eagerness to help Nepal, which till now is struggling hard to reform its economy for the people’s benefit.

But, the question, which we often hear from some of the ardent supporters of free economy is, will the small economies continue to get traditional cooperation from the financially able countries? They say this is an age of competition and countries—no matter developed or developing—will have to learn to compete for gaining comparative advantage in the process of economic development. If the changed concept is exactly so, is it an end to common cooperation, which the world has initiated after the costly Second world war under the trustworthy guidance of the United Nations? While only time will answer this excruciating query, there is still room to make efforts for common cooperation among countries in an atmosphere of free economy, too.

In case of Nepal’s economic development, China has pledged to extend its cooperation. Undoubtedly, when Their Majesties are in China on a State visit, the focus will be on it once again. For, China continues to emphasise for such goodwill-oriented cooperation even when there is so much focus on economic competition at global level to benefit because China knows that a small economy like Nepal may take time to gain competitive edge in an open economy, which currently has become a centre of attraction in the world.

So, it would be right time to thank China on the occasion of Their Majesties’ State Visit to that country for its continuous support to modernise our economy. But, to carry up this spirit of cooperation to a greater height between us in the days to come, China’s keen interest in making joint investment to tap Nepal’s resources is also highly sought. For it, the vast water resources of Nepal, for which the country is interested to welcome foreign investment, can be a sector of choice to move ahead. For long, Nepal has been getting good amount of economic assistance from China in the country’s infrastructure building target at the government level. But, to day, will it equally be an attraction for the Chinese private sector to invest in Nepal for mutual benefit?

The seasoned Monarch of Nepal and the experienced Chinese leaders will certainly share opinion for mutual cooperation to accelerate the pale of economic development. For it, His Majesty the King is paying a State-visit to China, which is expected to be successful in enhancing mutual trust between Nepal and China. In this regard, the good neighbourly relations between Nepal and China provide a solid background to move ahead for mutual benefit. Let’s quote a sentence from the Xinhua’s recent interview with our Monarch, in which His Majesty has said "...both the governments and the private sectors should, I feel, focus on economic cooperation to the mutual benefit of our peoples."

Padma Shumsher Caught Me Smoking

By Shreedhar Khanal

YOU cannot remember every event of your life. But you are bound to remember some strange events occassionally. There are many such happenings of my life which I am sure will be of interest to you. And one of them is the dreadful moment when I was caught red-handed smoking. It was in Vishalnagar palace where Padma Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, a former Rana Prime Minister used to stay as the then Commander-in-chief. He was second in command to Judha Shumsher, the Prime Minister. I was a boy of fourteen and I used to go there almost every evening after school hour. Thus I got the opportunity of paying respect to him as well as playing with his grandchildren. Besides playing, I caught the chance of smoking high quality cigarettes with one of his grandson.

The junior Shumsher liked me because of my witty jokes and folk music. He not only shared smoking with me in lonely corners of his garden but also gave me two sticks of costly cigarette before. I left. It took me more than an hour to reach home from Vishalnagar. There was no bus service in Kathmandu more than five decades ago. I had to reach Tripureshwor walking about three miles from Vishalnagar. I could have smoked both cigarettes while walking. But I saved on for next day as it became a habit of smoking just after meal in the morning. Because it was a crime those days to smoke before parents, I smoked on my way to school. All the elders including my parents were unaware of my smoking habit.

One Saturday evening. I was smoking with the grandson of Padma Shumsher as usual in a dark corner of his garden. As I was deeply taking my last puff, I heart footsteps around and crushed the fag, scared of somebody’s approach. My friend, the junior Rana abruptly got up and ran away. I heard the voice of His Highness overhead—"Oh, you rascals were smoking!’ Being nearly paralysed, I began to tremble. His Highness stepped forward and stood before me with his bodyguard behind. The guard was holding a coconut hookah with a short pipe attached to it. He offered the pipe to his master who puffed it making the hookah gurgle.

His Highness Padma touched my shoulder with his walking stick and said mildly, "You must never smoke cigarette in your life, my lad. You may puff hookah after you reach adulthood. Look at me, I do not smoke cigarette. Only one puff of cigarette fills up your lungs with nicotine, a deadly poison. On the other hand, if you puff a hookah, ninety per cent nicotine is absorbed by water and your lungs are far less affected. You are my grandson’s friend. So, I do not like to punish you. But I request you, my boy, to coerce your friend, my grandson, to stop cigarette smoking. You also please telly him that I will forgive him if he puffs hookah instead of cigarettes although he is a minor. I am prepared to pardon you for your heinous crime of cigarette smoking if you stop it yourself and make my grandson do the same."

I promised to cooperate him with heart and soul. On hearing this from a boy of fourteen, His Highness Padma Shumsher J.B. Rana was so emotionally charged that he embraced me and stroke my shoulder many times affectionately. He sent me home in his personal car. I am unable to forget this event.