Just as the United States is strengthening its military presence in the Gulf Region, preparatory to a forceful military removal of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, it has become imperative that I lend contribution to the dire implications of such pre-emotive military action.

Unequivocally, in carrying out any action involving the use of force, a fundamental requirement, under international law, is proportionality. Another issue is, legitimacy. Legitimacy is not usually a problem in combating terrorism, since the right of self defence is universally recognized because terrorist acts are crimes in peace, conflict or war times.

However, security forces or States, may bring questions bordering on their legitimacy to the fore, when they fail to respond and distinguish between those perpetuating, aiding or abetting terrorism, and others, who may sympathize with their cause, but do not engage in violent acts. The decision in the Caroline and Article 2(4) UN Charter are explicitly and authoritatively instructive on this ground.

Another question which Mr. Bush and the West must examine, is whether the forceful removal of Saddam would bring about any meaningful reduction of terrorist activities in the Middle East, and the world over?

It is only if we are victims of collective amnesia, that we would have forgotten, so easily, what happened in Afghanistan. The U S in conjunction with her allied powers, deployed soldiers to that ill fated country, in anticipation of capturing Osama bin Laden. Unsuccessful and disappointed they were, as the bearded Arabian remains not only invisible, but equally elusive. To me, the greatest achievement of the military incursion in Afghanistan was the dethroning of the Taliban. Any military action thereafter, visited unquantifiable humiliation on the Afghan people-as innocent children, women and the old civilian populace became victims of misdirected sporadic ballistic missiles and bombs which sent them untimely to the great beyond.

An overreaction that results in avoidable deaths of innocent children, women, old persons and those who are supposed to be protected under humanitarian law, while security forces are attempting to neutralize terrorists, raises questions of judgment as well as the legitimacy of such undertaking.

Consequently, if the US despite advise to the contrary, goes ahead to attempt forceful removal of Saddam, it must ensure minimal civilian casualties.

In addressing the menace of terrorism on the international front, experts recommend counter-terrorism as against anti-terrorism. The former involves the use of intelligence to detect and prevent terrorist activities before they are carried out. The latter, simply involves killing terrorists and has turned out to be strategically defective and counter productive.

An understanding of the ideology and mentality of most terrorists, reveals that are not afraid to pay the ultimate price of death, if and when apprehended. Imam Samudra, the mastermind of the Bali bombings in Jakarta of October 12, 2002, revealed to his over one dozen legal defence team, that he was not ordered to carry out the attack. His inspiration, he said, was the Holy Koran. When asked about the death penalty, he gladly told them that he would "embrace it." We neither need psychologists nor psychiatrists to examine such persons as this, to be able to conclude that they act free will and in full anticipation of the consequences of their actions.

What do we do in dealing with human beings who, ordinarily, ought to be rational in their actions, but are driven and motivated by an extreme (mis)interpretation of Islam to justify their deeds.?

The way out, is not to condemn or kill them. Such individuals need to be pacified. In fact, they require urgent re-orientation, as they need to be made to understand that there exist diplomatic, rational and peaceful means of conflict resolution. This is an area where the U.S. should direct her huge resources to bring about amicable settlement of dispute and promote development in the regions which terrorists have turned to safe havens.

To do other wise, is tantamount to self deception, as the war on terror would linger on with imminent catastrophic and devastating implications. As a matter of urgency, assuming that it is established by concrete evidence that Iraq and North Korea possess Weapons of Mass Destruction(WMD),peace is only achievable through diplomatic avenues.

Momoh-Sanni Kadiri,Lagos.