Those who think little of the United Nations are constantly puzzled by the authority it continues to exert for many others around the world. On Monday, India decided against sending a major contingent of troops to Iraq because the operation would be outside the U.N. mandate, thereby reconfirming Secretary General Kofi Annan's point about the unique legitimacy of the world organization. Having initially been sympathetic to Washington's request to contribute an army division (some 17,000 troops) for postwar security duty in Iraq -- in particular to stabilize the situation in northern Iraq -- Delhi in the end, "on balance of considerations," said no.
The very keen desire to consolidate improved relations with Washington was insufficient to overcome deep domestic divisions about the stability of the theater of operations being assigned to India and the financial costs of an operation.
India was attractive to Washington for a number of reasons. One of the largest troop contributors to U.N. peacekeeping operations, the Indian Army has adequate manpower readily available and trained for peacekeeping, experience in all types of climate and terrain, and military capabilities ranging from mechanized operations to dismounted infantry, engineers and humanitarian support.