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

United Nations: Chiding those who had declared the United Nations irrelevant before the US-led attack on Iraq, Secretary General Kofi Annan has said the demand by member states for a UN mandate before they commit troops to Baghdad has vindicated his stand that the world body would be needed soon.

Annan also said he would back a second resolution giving UN a broader mandate in Iraq, something several member states want but it not imminent at present.

The message from member states is clear – that they want a United Nations umbrella over US-led operations in Iraq before they commit troops, Annan told reporters on July 31, noting that India, Germany and France want a UN mandate. Annan said he did warn those who were bashing the world body that they had to be careful because they might need UN soon. That was some months ago.

Now the calls for internationalising the Iraq operations have a clear message particularly for those who "thought the United Nations was dead and had no influence", he remarked.

Some United States officials had warned that UN would go the way of League of Nations when the Security Council refused to give explicit mandate to the United States led coalition to attack Iraq to remove President Saddam Hussein.

With coalition troops facing guerrilla warfare in Iraq, the United States is now seeking troops from several nations, including India, to help it stabilise the situation in Iraq.

PTI