| Annan criticizes policy of preemptive defense
By Marcella Bombardieri, Globe Staff, 6/11/2004 CAMBRIDGE -- In a speech laden with implicit criticism of President Bush and the American invasion of Iraq, UN Secretary General Kofi A. Annan told graduates and alumni of Harvard University yesterday that the world needs "enlightened American leadership" and countries should not launch unilateral action to shape world events. Speaking at Harvard's graduation ceremonies, Annan did not mention Bush by name but took clear jabs at the administration's policy of preemptive self-defense. "What kind of world would it be, and who would want to live in it, if every country was allowed to use force without collective agreement, simply because it thought there might be a threat?" he said. Annan earned frequent applause during the speech, one of the most pointed critiques he has made of the Bush administration. Annan said an international system can work only if countries accommodate different points of view and reach decisions collectively. "All great American leaders have understood this," he said, as the 15,000 gathered in a damp Harvard Yard erupted in cheers and laughter. He praised the United States for seeking a UN resolution endorsing Iraq's interim government, which passed the Security Council unanimously two days ago after US officials acceded to demands from European countries. Taking a longer view, he also acknowledged America's historical support for the United Nations and allowed the audience to draw the comparison with today's administration. "American leaders have generally recognized that other states, big and small, prefer to cooperate on the great issues of peace and security," he said. "They have accepted that others with a different view on a specific issue may, on occasion, be right." The UN head also reserved some muted criticism for his own organization, acknowledging that UN peacekeepers watched massacres in Bosnia and Rwanda in the 1990s without intervening. The UN Security Council "cannot expect to be taken seriously unless it fulfils its responsibility to protect the innocent," he said. Annan also said the threat of global terrorism and rogue states requires the international community to change and adapt, deciding when preemptive action is justified and how it can be taken in time to be effective. Annan's visit had drawn protest the night before in Harvard Square, where about 100 people gathered to criticize him for failing to take action to prevent genocide in Sudan. He touched on the Sudanese situation briefly in his speech, saying the international community must insist that Sudan allow humanitarian supplies to reach the 1 million people forced from their homes in the Darfur region, disarm the militiamen destroying villages, and help displaced people return home. Many of the thousands of students, parents, and alumni gathered yesterday afternoon greeted his remarks warmly, sometimes standing spontaneously to applaud in the middle of his talk. "I thought it was great," said Sheena Lee, a member of the class of 2004. "He said a lot of things that needed to be said, without being rude." Others showed their support for US policy by applauding when he mentioned the post-9/11 view that "you can't afford to wait till you are sure that someone has weapons of mass destruction." Annan's speech came during the afternoon portion of Harvard's elaborate commencement, which featured several ceremonies and took place under heavy security, as police searched bags and roamed the aisles in Harvard Yard. The university conferred more than 6,000 degrees, nearly 1,600 to undergraduates and the rest to students from Harvard's 10 graduate schools and continuing-education program. A light drizzle began just before the afternoon ceremony, but the sun soon peeked out. Harvard president Lawrence H. Summers joked that this was the first time in his first three years as president that the "veritas" in his commencement remarks has not been marked by the element of "humiditas." Summers spoke about reducing economic barriers to college, an issue on which he has sought to make Harvard a leader. "The American dream is becoming more remote, as the gap between the life prospects of the children of the fortunate and the less fortunate widens," Summers said. Earlier this year, Summers announced a new financial aid policy, under which families that make less than $40,000 a year do not have to contribute money toward their child's Harvard education. He described how Harvard is investing more resources, beginning this summer, to recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The university will use school visits, personal phone calls, and student-to-student contacts -- the same techniques "that have worked well for us in recruiting minority students." But universities can't solve the crisis of inequality alone, he said. "The battle for America's future will be won or lost in America's public schools," he said. Marcella Bombardieri can be reached at bombardieri@globe.com. This story ran on page A1 of the Boston Globe on 6/11/2004.
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