ACT mistakes 'persuassive diplomacy' for international law

ACT has today exposed its total lack of knowledge about the basic tenets of international law.

"Eager for New Zealand to be part of a US led invasion of Iraq, ACT has grasped at the declaration for war of those European countries keen to please the United States by being 'on the team'.

"The problem for ACT is that eagerness to please does not confer legality. The Security Council has no 'smoking gun' to authorize war. In fact, quite the contrary. The Blix report shows that cooperation by Baghdad, while imperfect, has allowed the inspection process to work.

"War is legal for immediate retaliation or to prevent an immediate attack. The Security Council can not endorse the 'might is right' approach of ACT", said Matt Robson MP.

Matt Robson MP has studied international law at the International Court of Justice, The Hague (the World Court).

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