U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan Warns U.S. - Attack Without Backing Violates Charter

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned the United States yesterday that it would be in violation of the U.N. charter if it attacked Iraq without Security Council approval.

"The whole world agrees on the need to disarm Iraq," Annan said. "There are no divisions, no grounds for doubt or delay" about the objective of stripping Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction.

But, Annan said, military action outside the U.N. framework would not be legitimate.

If you are a regular reader you know my first and main point is that this does violate the charter which the U.S. legally agreed to support. The United States would be the rogue lawless state if it attacks without approval.

Every action taken against Iraq, including Gulf War 1, has been under the direction of the U.N. and all resolutions passed since then include the legal language that the Security Council, and only the Security Council, has charge of the matter. You cannot violate the U.N. Charter and claim you are trying to support the U.N.