October 25, 2001

U.S. isn't being tied by limits from U.N.

President Bush apparently absorbed a key lesson of the Gulf War: Don't let diplomatic coalitionism interfere with U.S. national interests. Indeed, the United Nations since Sept. 11 has been the proverbial "dog that does not bark," virtually sidelined as the White House skillfully collects international commitments to assist the U.S. military, diplomatic and financial effort against organized terrorism.

The Bush administration drove home the point with its formal delivery to the U.N. Security Council of a letter stating that the U.S. reserves the right, under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, to attack nations harboring terrorists. Article 51 declares a universal national right of self-defense.

The United States has not sought, and now quite clearly will not seek, a U.N. resolution that would define the scope of U.S. defensive actions.

This is a stark contrast to the Bush-I strategy in the Persian Gulf, in which a U.N. Security Council resolution played a central role. Ultimately, however, the Gulf War resolution from the U.N. unduly limited the United States' freedom of action, and Saddam Hussein was left standing. Not coincidentally, one of the Sept.11 attackers met with Iraqi agents prior to the attack.

The current administration clearly is reasserting a properly robust degree of U.S. unilateral action. The clear message is that others may join our fight, but America will do whatever it must. With such strong leadership to follow, even the Canadians committed a half-dozen ships and aircraft from Canada's gutted post-Cold War military.

Meanwhile, the United Nations managed has to make itself look even more foolish than usual by allowing Syria -- long known to harbor some of the world's most dangerous terrorists -- to ascend to membership in the Security Council.