WASHINGTON, 22 March 2003 — The United States appeared unmoved yesterday by growing challenges to the legality of the war against Iraq and urged anti-war countries to drop attempts to have the United Nations rule on its legitimacy. Secretary of State Colin Powell led the charge against the legal objections, telling those who have complained that they were wasting their time because the liberation of Iraq is already “under way and it is inevitable.”
Powell said those calling for a review of the legality of the war should instead be concentrating on trying to provide for the humanitarian and reconstruction needs of the people of Iraq once Saddam Hussein’s regime is toppled.
“It is time for us to realize that the liberation is under way and it is inevitable,” he told reporters when asked about French President Jacques Chirac’s declaration that Paris would not accept a US-British post-war administration in Iraq.
“France will not accept a resolution tending to legitimize the military intervention and giving the American and English belligerents powers over the administration of Iraq,” Chirac said in Brussels.
Shortly before Chirac made his comments, anti-war Russia said it would ask for a UN ruling on the legality of the conflict. China has also said it believes the war is a violation of international law.
