President Bush is beginning to overstep his bounds as he pushes for military action against Iraq. The commander in chief needs to consult Congress and other world leaders before launching a war to oust Saddam Hussein.
As Congress returns to Capitol Hill from summer recess, members already are urging Bush to use caution in his endeavors and are pointing to the United Nations for guidance.
Bush hopes to achieve a “regime change” in the Middle East nation to hinder Hussein’s development for chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. And although it is important the United Nations be able to return weapons inspectors to Iraq in accordance with the agreements that ended the Persian Gulf War, other nations oppose a military strike.
But Bush’s choices could be dangerous for U.S. foreign policy.
Many world leaders have voiced their disapproval of Bush’s policy. Former South African President Nelson Mandela told The Associated Press the United States is “introducing chaos in international affairs” and taking the law into its own hands.
Even British Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of the United State’s closest allies after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, restrained from supporting military action against Iraq.
While Hussein and his regime might be dangerous for the world, it is not Bush’s duty to launch an attack against Iraq on his own. No matter how much the Bush administration’s propaganda machine tries to paint Hussein as the scapegoat for America’s woes, he is not. Without more proof of direct wrongdoing aimed at the United States, Bush is out of line in his policy against Iraq.
The U.S. government’s system of “checks and balances” were put in place by the founding fathers to ensure the country’s leaders could not abuse their power. Bush must follow these guidelines and consult Congress if there is reason to oust Saddam from power.
For any strike against Iraq to be successful and to preserve the stability of the Middle East, Bush must actively participate in and respect this worldwide debate.
