As the clock counts down to war in the Middle East, eight prominent Swiss have told swissinfo that there is little legitimacy for war in Iraq.
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They have also expressed doubts that the United Nations will ever be the same again in the wake of the diplomatic crisis.
The group of politicians, former ambassadors, journalists and academics made their comments after President Bush issued an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq or face war.
On Tuesday, Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline-Calmy-Rey condemned Washington’s decision to act unilaterally.
The attitudes of the eight Swiss are generally consistent with a series of opinion polls that have shown strong Swiss opposition to military action in Iraq.
Opposition to the conflict has come from across the political spectrum, as well as from religious leaders and even the armed forces.
The group was asked whether war was justified and whether the United Nations had lost its credibility.
Almost everyone said there were no obvious grounds for war, adding that the stand-off between Europe and the United States boiled down to cultural or philosophical differences.
The group also admitted that the UN, which Switzerland joined only last year, had been severely damaged by the crisis.
swissinfo, Scott Capper
No second resolution will be voted on Iraq at the United Nations. President Bush has given Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave the country. Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey has condemned the United States’ unilateral stance.
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swissinfo: Is there a valid reason for going to war? For me, there are very good political, legal and moral grounds. [UN Security Council] resolutions 678, 687 and 1441 actually give the Americans the [legal] right to attack. Morally, Saddam Hussein has two wars on his conscience that have killed at least two million people.…
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He was also a vocal opponent of Switzerland joining the United Nations. swissinfo: Is there a valid reason for going to war? From the Swiss point of view, there are never any “good” reasons for a war. It is, however, a good time for Switzerland to remember its traditional role of neutrality. I see this…
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She is currently a professor at the University of Lausanne, where she teaches, among other subjects, family law. swissinfo: Is there a valid reason for going to war? Is there ever a good reason for going to war? For me, there is a right to defend oneself when you are attacked; otherwise a war is…
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swissinfo: Is there a valid reason for going to war? I think we are in a truly difficult situation. Everybody agrees that Saddam Hussein’s regime is no good, but there are huge differences on how to deal with him. What bothers me is that we are in a situation where misunderstandings, bad faith and disinformation…
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