By Charles Nwabardi
Victorious battle usually create a period of rejoicing. When Iraq invaded Kuwait on August 2 1990, the international Community especially the United States of America exhausted all diplomatic strategies to make Saddam Hussein order Iraqis army to leave Kuwait but all failed. In response to Saddam’s refusal to leave Kuwait (a sovereign State), America’s President, George Herbert Walker Bush was able to get the nod of the United Nations to form Coalition Forces that fought the Gulf War and defeated the Iraqis which US had fingered as sponsoring terror, immersing weapons of mass destruction in addition to the invasion of Kuwait.
The Coalition victory over Iraq was like America’s victory. There was joy in America. In President Bush’s live broadcast to American people, in a visible elated mood, he said that the Gulf War had ended in victory over Iraq and that the victory had created a period of euphoria ( paraphrased).
There was a lesson every reasonable head could learn from the way the Gulf War was fought and worn by the American-led Coalition. In fighting a battle no matter its category, extra care must be taken to avoid escalation. If not that that was checkmated the Gulf War of 1991 would have not been won decisively at a given short time. Hassan Hussein, the Iraq helmsman had a strategy to drag Israel into the war by firing SCUD MISSILES into Israel so that he could garner the support of all Arab Nations. The strategy, however, failed because US kept on pacifying Israel. In order to frustrate Iraqis’ plans, a Patriot Missile that was destroying the Scud Missiles fired at Israel was installed in the Israeli border. This Strategic Shielded Israel and frustrated Saddam.
This Write-up is hinged on a question, ‘ Can Putin Give Russians Victorious Euphoria?” It is so because this is not the first time Russia has invaded a sovereign State. In 1939 between the months of September Russia invaded Poland and had its way.
The Soviet Union objective then was ‘expansionist policy’ and freeing their blood brothers- Ukrainians and Byelorussians who were trapped in territory that had been annexed by Poland.
Today, the Ukrainians they fought to save in 1939 have become their prey. Virtually every country of the world have condemned the action of Russia.
The invasion is like that of Iraqi invasion of Kuwait but the same approach cannot be used. Russia is one of the five Super Powers in the world that enjoys the privilege of Veto Power ( including US, China, Britain and France) in the United Nations Organization. The Security Council of the UNO can never approve the use of force because Russia has the power of veto to cancel such resolution. However, the great milestone that has been achieved is the UN Vote of condemning the Russia’s action.
Furthermore, the US and other Western countries are following Russia hard with serious sanctions. This strategy is working because Russia has now agreed for a meeting with the Ukraine Head, Volodymyr Zelenskyy to negotiate for a ceasefire.
The world is growing everyday. This is why what Russia did and had its way in 1939 may not be easy today. The world especially the Western Nations should be commended for their show of restraint in not allowing escalation in the recent Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With the strong diplomatic machinery at the disposal of the world today, Putin may not be able to say like President George Bush of US told his people “this is a time of euphoria” at the end of the Gulf War in 1991.
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