Exercise caution before going in to ‘clean up’ Iraq

AS I write, there is probably an invitation before the Irish Government to participate in the ’clean-up’ operation in Iraq — with or without UN sanction.

Such an invitation should be considered with great care and circumspection. Many people believe the attack on Iraq to have been illegal and the current occupation to be illegal. There will be a doubt about the legitimacy of any Iraqi government which emerges without UN supervision.

"Normalcy" may well emerge but, contrary to what Donald Rumsfeld asserts, the present situation of many in Baghdad is manifestly worse than it was materially under Saddam.