Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 26, 1991 TAG: 9102260408
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Monday's Iraqi radio broadcast of an "order" to withdraw had diplomats scrambling once again. To be sure, if Iraqi troops in Kuwait wave white flags, give up hostilities, leave their heavy equipment behind and head for Iraq, they should not be fired upon.
Remember: The war's ostensible objective is to make Iraq leave Kuwait. Saddam Hussein is now defeated, his military might in shambles. Any opportunity for a negotiated end to the war should be vigorously pursued.
Meanwhile, lacking an explicit diplomatic commitment to comply with relevant U.N. resolutions and a demonstration on the ground of the same intent, Iraq's withdrawal announcement served mostly to confirm what allied military officials were saying: The battle is going well. It appears to be a rout.
For that, Americans can be grateful. A quick end to the war, with as few casualties as possible, is desired by all.
Including, it seems, a lot of Iraqi soldiers. Those on the front lines in Kuwait apparently have little stomach for battle after suffering weeks of relentless bombardment. The large numbers taken prisoner is a heartening sign.
If a negotiated settlement does not materialize, anticipation of a quick and low-cost victory still should be held in check until it's clear the elite Republican Guard divisions have been neutralized and Kuwait City retaken.
The missile attack Monday on a troops barracks in Saudi Arabia underscored warnings against early euphoria.
We should keep in mind, too, that Saddam Hussein could have prevented this land war had he wanted to. He endured a pounding from the air partly so he could force this "mother of battles."
He has obviously miscalculated again, perhaps succumbing to the tyrant's temptation to forbid unwelcome intelligence or advice. His forces are collapsing. Most want no part of his national suicide. A desperate Saddam now wants out. Still, having already committed a host of war crimes, he may have a trick or two up his sleeve.
Also worth reminding ourselves is that this is not simply a spectacle. The magnitude of firepower and momentum of destruction sent from air, land and sea are awesome. Their coordination alone is an amazing feat, adding to the fascination for armchair analysts.
But a terrible, real war has been under way. Two countries are ravaged. Soldiers on both sides are risking their lives. Reports of atrocities against Kuwaiti civilians are sickening and may get worse. (War-crimes tribunals should be planned.) Meantime, tens of thousands of Iraqi soldiers who never elected Saddam their leader have died horribly. The suffering is widespread, the costs long-term.
Yes, we're beating up a bully, bending a Third World despot to our will. But success with superior force doesn't in itself make war grand. This is a time for solemnity, not exultation.
It's a time, too, to recognize the debt owed the brave men and women deployed on behalf of America for the cause of prying Kuwait from Iraq.
Saddam presumably knew he would lose a war against a superpower. Notwithstanding his miscalculations, he must be hoping beyond military defeat for some sort of political compensation in the hearts and minds of Arabs.
What President Bush owes the Americans who are risking, losing and taking life in the Persian Gulf is to win the postwar political contest after the military battle is won. A quick end to the war, with Iraq left as intact as possible, would help minimize the enduring instability. Unfortunately, diplomatic success has always proved harder to achieve than the will to send troops into combat.
Let us hope that, having been started prematurely before peaceful means were exhausted, the war is not now prolonged beyond what's necessary to achieve our objectives. Much wisdom will be required to forge a "new world order" based on collective security, international law and non-violent resolution of conflicts.
On the other hand, we shouldn't forget that Saddam's aggression and intransigence ultimately prompted the war and has kept it going. It is a war conducted impressively, supported by an international alliance and sanctioned by the United Nations. Once begun, it's a war all Americans hope will end soon, decisively, and with minimal loss of life.
by CNB