Tuesday, April 06, 2004
Blix vs. the refugees
I understand why Hans Blix has an ax to grind -- a lot of Americans, including those in positions of great power and influence, shipped a lot of disrespect in his direction in the months running up to the Iraq war. I do not blame him for his hostility to the current American administration, or his opposition to the war. In this last respect, he shares the sentiments -- although he also shapes the sentiments -- of his countrymen.
However, he is getting access to so much press coverage in part because he is promoting a book. I do not question his sincerety, but I do think all the attention may be seducing him into making extreme and therefore silly statements. Today he got a lot of attention for telling the Danes that the costs of the war in Iraq outweigh the benefits of removing Saddam.
In the interview, Blix said the war had contributed to a destabilization of the Middle East and a move away from democracy in the region, adding that even though Iraqis had been spared life under a dictator, it was at too high a cost.
It is interesting, then, that we should also see this story today: Iraqi refugees are going home. The camps full of Iraqi refugees -- 12,000 from one in Iran, for example -- have closed, because the Iraqis who have lived there, in some cases for more than a decade, have gone home.
The opponents of the war claimed that there would be a huge flood of refugees on account of the American invasion. They were right, except about the direction of the flood. Do you think these returning refugees would agree with Blix?
Here's the original February 9 press release from the United Nations.
However, he is getting access to so much press coverage in part because he is promoting a book. I do not question his sincerety, but I do think all the attention may be seducing him into making extreme and therefore silly statements. Today he got a lot of attention for telling the Danes that the costs of the war in Iraq outweigh the benefits of removing Saddam.
In the interview, Blix said the war had contributed to a destabilization of the Middle East and a move away from democracy in the region, adding that even though Iraqis had been spared life under a dictator, it was at too high a cost.
It is interesting, then, that we should also see this story today: Iraqi refugees are going home. The camps full of Iraqi refugees -- 12,000 from one in Iran, for example -- have closed, because the Iraqis who have lived there, in some cases for more than a decade, have gone home.
The opponents of the war claimed that there would be a huge flood of refugees on account of the American invasion. They were right, except about the direction of the flood. Do you think these returning refugees would agree with Blix?
Here's the original February 9 press release from the United Nations.
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