More "coalitions of the willing" to come, says State Department official

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Saturday January 07, 2006 16:50 by Coilín ÓhAiseadha Máigh Nuad, Co. Cill Dara

Prize-winning Danish journalist asks whether Denmark will take part in coalition to invade Iran

In one of his daily letters to Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and foreign minister Per Stig Møller, prize-winning journalist Bo Elkjær refers to a statement by a State Department official that the United States will conduct future wars through the deployment of ad-hoc coalitions of the willing, similar to that which invaded Iraq in March 2003, rather than relying on established institutions such as NATO or the United Nations to resolve conflicts.

Bo Elkjær shared the prestigious Cavling prize for the year 2003 for his work in publishing meticulously detailed documentation for the falsification of the basis for Danish participation in the invasion of Iraq. Contrary to Danish principles of transparency, the prime minister and foreign minister are refusing to grant Elkjær an interview in which they might reply to his many pointed questions.

Subject: More coalitions of the willing on the way – reminder for interview – reminder of reminder

From: "Bo Elkjær"
To: um@um.dk, permol@um.dk, fmn@fmn.dk, Statsministeriet , fe@fe-mail.dk

Dear Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller

The United States now says that “coalitions of the willing” will be used to a much greater extent in connection with future conflicts, because the old alliances, such as NATO, have become unreliable. This is revealed in the minutes of meetings that have been published in a briefing by a senior State Department official this week. (Link: http://news.ft.com/cms/s/2d042bd0-7d51-11da-875c-0000779e2340,dwp_uuid=c1a5b968-e1ed-11d7-81c6-0820abe49a01.html)

“We ‘ad hoc’ our way through coalitions of the willing. That’s the future,” says the official, who however acknowledges that the Iraq coalition demanded a lot of preparatory work for the US. Now the American administration is working to standardise the procedures for the establishment of future coalitions. “We are focused on the enduring dynamics of coalition warfare,” says the official.

The official in question directs a sharp criticism against a European government for undermining the NATO alliance in refusing possible combat operations in southern Afghanistan.

Is there not peace in Afghanistan?

The official would not name the government in question, but it is obvious that he is referring to the Netherlands.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to discuss coalition plans with Australia and Japan next week. The US is about to put a lid on the coffers for reconstruction. The hope is that Japan among others will take a leading role in financing the reconstruction of war-torn Iraq.

Does the Danish government share the view of the conflicts of the future that is presented here: That conflicts shall be resolved with the help of loosely composed ad-hoc coalitions rather than established institutions such as FN and NATO?

Are you also of the opinion that NATO is unreliable?

Is it the war of the future that Denmark, for example, will be invited to participate in military initiatives around the world?

Where will the next coalition be sent in?

Iran?

Has Denmark already received an invitation to participate in a coalition against Iran?

Against other countries?

If no invitations have arrived, have other kinds of enquiries about a possible Danish participation in future coalitions arrived?

What does international law say about this kind of coalition warfare?

Hello?

Have you got anything to say?

In an interview, perhaps?

You’ve promised that. Isn’t it about time we got it out of the way? It’s only a little pinprick and the difficult questions don’t get any fewer as time passes. On the contrary.

Oh, and do reply to this reminder. It’s becoming embarrassing.

Kind regards,
Bo Elkjær, Ekstra Bladet