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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-03-12 14:49:46

For me, when Afghanistan was invaded it was to get the terrorists, no? I'm not really sure but i think it was the taliban who actually decided to defend the terrorists, no? (I'm not really sure, can someone please confirm?)

Furthermore, and more importantly, the taliban regime was never actually recognized internationally. It was actually the Northern Alliance (with Massoud) which was recognized as the official government of afghanistan at the UN. So legally there was no 'regime change', since the taliban were not recognized by the UN. If i recall the only countries which recognized the taliban as the official government were Saudi Arabia and Pakistan (and maybe Yemen or Qatar?)...

So Chretien was actually right when he was saying he is scared of any regime change...

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: Vox

Date: 2003-03-12 20:57:45

Sometimes people are "scared" because they simply do not know what to do.

Vox Canadiana

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: cfallon

Date: 2003-03-13 15:16:12

I get your point, but it does seem a little bit of hair splitting. I mean, if Saudi Arabia and Pakistan recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, then it seems like there's no set rules for when the international community officially recognizes a government.

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: banquosghost

Date: 2003-03-13 20:26:43

In Sept, 2000 only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates recognized the Taliban as legitimate. The exiled government of President Burhanuddin Rabbani, whose alliance controlled only 10% of Afghanistan at the time was still in possession of the UN seat allotted to Afghanistan and was recognized by the rest of the world. On Sept 22,2001 the Saudis and the UAE withdrew their recognition and Pakistan not too long after.

I don't think "rules" is the way to consider the issue of recognition really. There are a number of reasons why one country might or might not want to "recognize" the government of another country.

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: cfallon

Date: 2003-03-14 14:25:53

Banquo, I don't think so either.

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-03-14 04:35:45

I guess it entirely depends on the country. I myself, and i assume most governments of the world base themselves on the UN to decide what is the real representative government.

I also think the UN General assembly, as well as the security council are allowed to decide by vote who represents a government, as was the case for China and Taiwan.

It all depends on the eye of the beholder.

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: fatmomma

Date: 2003-03-13 22:06:31

I believe; the war lords of Afghanistan affected the regime change anyhow; with a little help from their friends. Anyhow, that war was sanctioned by the UN

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: cfallon

Date: 2003-03-14 14:24:43

It doesn't matter who sanctions it. If the UN sanctions war on Newfoundland, that doesn't mean we send troops there.

the point is, if the PM is entirely uncomfortable with regime change then what were we doing in Afghanistan. UN or no UN, if you think regime change is a bad thing, then you should ALWAYS think regime change is a bad thing.

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-03-14 17:11:52

We could argue a very long time i think on this topic, because it also depends what is the definition of 'regime'. The PM's attitude is consistent in my eyes, if you consider 'regime' as 'internationally recognized through the UN'.

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: fatmomma

Date: 2003-03-14 22:56:41

I think we are all getting a little confused. When a country is legally invaded; it is normal to make changes in the leadership. They are guilty of war crimes etc.: the county"s people must have a hand it picking the new leaders. The regime change Cretien was refering to was regime change without an invasion sanctioned. It was Bush's demand that even if Iraq disarmed completely; he wanted a regime change; this is unprecedented. I agree; unless the people of the country affect this change; it will be resented and not effective unless it is another dictatorship. I don't think I explained it well

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Interview given by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to ABC...

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-03-15 16:12:54

Exactly, I think the US will have a heck of a time keeping control over the different Iraqi factions...

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