May 6, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, May 5: The casus belli for US war against Iraq was geostrategic and geopolitical and an attempt to dominate the world, former foreign minister Agha Shahi said.

He was speaking at the two-day seminar on “The Emerging World Order” organized by the Islamabad Council of World Affairs (ISWA) on Monday.

Mr Shahi, however, predicted that this goal would be frustrated by other powers such as France, Germany, Russia and China who would play their roles in the “evolving multipolar world”, irrespective of Prime Minister Tony Blair’s warning to the contrary.

The overwhelming military might of the United States, doubtless, had enabled it through unilateralism and pre-emptive war to decree and impose regime change in Afghanistan and Iraq and establish an imperium and Israeli hegemony over the Middle East.

But, North Korea had brought into sharp focus limitations of the hyperpower and the “old proud nations of Europe — France and Germany — Russia and China would not accept the domination of the United States,” he remarked.

According to Mr Shahi, who is president of the ISWA, the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq were based on a strategy that predated the 9/11. Thus, various American officials as well as President Bush saw that event as pregnant with “enormous opportunity” for uniting “our values and our national interests”.

The ground for this policy was laid when in February 1992, on the eve of the collapse of the Soviet Union, a “Defence Policy Guidance” (DPG) document was prepared by the then defence secretary and now US vice-president Dick Cheney. This document enjoined upon US to maintain mechanisms for deterring potential competitors from even aspiring to a larger regional or global role. China and Russia were identified as potential threats to this policy goal.

Mr Shahi also took umbrage at the National Security Strategy for its labelling of even genuine resistance against foreign occupation as ‘terrorism’. This right had been historically recognized and the UN General Assembly, through a number of resolutions, legitimized freedom struggle.

In this context, he referred to Kashmir, “an outstanding example of the legitimacy of the struggle for self- determination”. Likewise, the war on terror in which Pakistan was a key ally of the United States was being confused by the world media as war against what is called Islamic fundamentalism and extremism.

American presence in Iraq, he said, would project power across the region with a view to remaking, by military means if necessary, the political culture of the Muslim Middle East and bringing about regime change in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Egypt and Libya.

Coming nearer home, the former foreign minister acknowledged that the US had played a crucial rule in preventing war between Pakistan and India following their military confrontation. US engagement to defuse the dangerous tension had been a major contributory factor in the withdrawal of the two armies from their respective borders, he added.

“Thanks to the statesmanship of Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee”, and following the persistent overtures for peace on the part of President Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali, he went on to note, “moves are being made for the restoration of diplomatic, trade, travel and people to people relations.”

This “auspicious development”, he hoped, would lead to a dialogue to resolve all outstanding disputes between Pakistan and India, including the core Jammu and Kashmir dispute.