What if the US loses the UN vote?

[chequita guevara]

What if, after the US makes it's presentation, it loses the vote. I don't just mean if France, China, and/or Russia decide to veto. What if we lose the majority vote?

[DuncanK]

They will still attack. I think a more interesting question is if they will attack if more Americans start turning against the war.

[rah]

I think if they lose the majority, it will delay it.

[Chris 62]

The UN would have rendered it'self inert, and a new international system would be needed.

And that isn't a BAD thing in my opinion.

[DAVOUT]

If the friendly pressures on some countries are not enough to reach the 9 votes required, we can expect that the resolution will not be presented, and the US will attack on the ground of the 1441.

[chequita guevara]

Of coure, if other nations think that the resolution will be vetoed, they might vote for the resolution just to score brownie points with the US. Oye! Politics.

[Boris Godunov]

Bush is facing increasing opposition at home, though. The "bounce" from his State of the Union address has eroded. I saw on MSNBC this morning that the latest Zogby poll showed support for the war down to 54%, opposition was up to 42%, or something near there. Bush's job approval ratings are also at the lowest since before Sept. 11th, according to Pew.

[DuncanK]

The thing that pisses me off is that a majority of Americans only support the war with UN backing. We will probably get the majority support on this next resolution, but only because we bribed many of the countries to support it. The majority of the countries still don't really support the war. I wonder if other Americans think about that.

[Chris 62]

People that say 'we suppost the war, but ONLY with UN backing" are the most odd of all, in my opinion.

Anyone that follows the UN knows it's a self interest "what can you do for me" organization, and therefore, useless on both moral matters and national defense matters.

Why does Chirac or Putin agreeing make it OK?

Either you believe in the war or not, the UN opinion should be irrelivent.

[mactbone]

When do other countries do something that does not dierctly benefit them, without a bribe?

[Sten Sture]

Then the official attack is delayed, perhaps by six months, while covert activity continues.

Meanwhile, a US special ops team attacks the Champs Elyssé in late July.

[Pekka]

I think US will go to war no matter what other countries say. If opposition is strong, then it might take little longer, but the US will force this through, it's clear. If not, Bush and the whole administration would face great loss, as they have been pushing this so hard. No questions about it.

Only thing I'm wondering how big opposition does it take inside the US to stop it.. I think it will have to be veeery big. The only one who can stop this is not Saddam, it's Bush. Whether it would be wise or not is different question. My personal opinion is that it doesn't matter what Saddam does, and if Saddam just goes exile or whatever runs to haven.. that would be the biggest defeat ever. Saddam is not holding the keys, and he shouldn't have the power to do that either. He's going down and he personally deserves anything he gets and more.

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Sten Sture

Meanwhile, a US special ops team attacks the Champs Elyssé in late July.

Wrong place again ! Not Avenue des Champs Elysées, Palais de l'Elysée where Président Chirac is living.

[Pekka]

I think the people wanting UN backing are thinking more about this in world level. Keeping the order and all that.
I think it's important that this gets through the UN too. I'm pro war, but also pro UN. Maybe because I'm from small country too, we don't like when big countries do what they want when there is opposition in general. It's like the ticket for safety. But that's generally speaking about the UN importance, it's important mostly to others in the world.

[DanS]

If the resolution were going down to defeat, then the US & UK wouldn't offer it for a vote. If it is likely to be vetoed by the French or Russians, then we might go forward and dare them to veto the resolution.

Apparently, Mexico has come on board. Don't know what we gave up for them, but there are lots of areas where we can help them out.