I am amazed at the number posting on this topic and to associated threads, who continually refer to America's arrogance with regard to the United Nations over the current Iraq crisis. Many of the same people also refer to America's "unilateralist" actions.

Why, some may ask am I amazed? - Simple

To date, with regard to the Iraq Crisis, the current American administration has ONLY EVER acted THROUGH the auspices, offices and required procedures of the United Nations. They have sought, stridently to make the process inclusive, the results have been extremely effective and beneficial.

To date, with regard to the Iraq Crisis, the current American administration has shown remarkable constraint having undertaken NO UNILATERALIST action whatsoever.

I agree with Amos regarding the introduction of references to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Mandela's speech, which I read and found to be poorly informed and trite.

Some of the facts relating to the proposed "Operation Olympic", the proposed invasion of the mainland islands of Japan.

Allied Assault forces available if 100% assumed in terms of personnel, equipment and vessels operational - 650,000

Axis Forces available for the homeland defence of Japan - 3,000,000 Regular Army + Reserves of 28,000,000.

The successfull allied assaults on Tarawa and on Okinawa showed allied military commanders in the Pacific the potential cost of an assault on the main home islands.

Please don't apply 21st century thinking to 1945 situations. The people making decisions affecting the lives of the personnel under their command can always be improved upon using 20 x 20 hindsight - in historical terms they can only really be evaluated by the conditions that prevailed at the time.

Operating in the Pacific is markedly different from anywhere else in the world - only one country ever developed the capability and resources to do it - the United States of America - That capability and those resources, developed and maintained at a tremendous cost, exist primarily to safeguard peace - not to conquer, not to enslave.