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Is the US acting as a sole superpower by snubbing UN? Post your views

United Nations: UN Security Council on May 22 lifted 13-year-old economic, financial and trade sanctions against Iraq and gave the US and Britain wide authority to run the country as "occupying powers".

Fourteen of the 15 Council members voted for the American draft resolution which would give the "occupying powers" control of the country's oil resources which they promised to use for the benefit of the Iraqi people.

Syrian representative did not attend the meeting and hence the resolution was adopted by 14 votes with none against it.

To win support of Russia, France and China, the sponsors -- the United States, Britain and Spain -- agreed to some 90 changes in the original draft but the basic structure did not undergo much alteration. However, the revised draft enhanced the role of the United Nations.

The Council will review the implementation of the resolution after 12 months and take any measures it considers necessary.

Earlier, the United States has proposed the occupying powers be given initially a mandate for one year with automatic renewal. The revised version is silent on that.

Syria, the only Arab member of the Council, had recalled its UN Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe for consultations as it came under intense pressure from the United States to vote for the resolution or, at least, not oppose it.

Syria's Deputy Ambassador Fayssal Mekdad had said on May 21 that he was awaiting instructions from Damascus.

Apparently no instructions came and Syrian seat at the Council table was vacant, something the Council has witnessed very rarely.

PTI