PRAGUE--Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is a menaceto his neighbors and pre-emptive military action may be warrantedagainst him, Czech President Vaclav Havel said in an interview aheadof a visit to Washington beginning today.
"Saddam Hussein's regime poses a major threat tomany nations and to his own people," Mr. Havel said. "The right thingfor Bush is not to go in alone. There should be an internationalintervention."
The visit, which includes a meeting with Mr. Bushtomorrow and talks with leaders of the Senate and the House ofRepresentatives, will be Mr. Havel's final one to Washington beforehis scheduled retirement in January.
But in an interview late last week, the one-timedissident playwright expressed more interest in current issues thanin nostalgic memories of 13 years as Czech president.
The Bush administration doctrine of pre-emptivemilitary action could be justified on a case-by-case basis, said theoften-ailing Mr. Havel, who turns 66 next month.
He said World War II might have been avoided hadWestern powers--Britain and France, in particular--not pursued apolicy of appeasement with Adolf Hitler.
One of Mr. Havel's last official acts will be topreside over a NATO summit in the Czech capital in November that isexpected to sharply change the alliance. Meeting for the first timein a former Warsaw Pact territory, delegates will invite as many asseven more countries to join the alliance.
Mr. Havel said NATO enlargement is critical tostabilizing Eastern Europe and would lay to rest an ugly chapter ofEuropean history.
"It will finally show there are no more spheres ofinfluence," he said.
His life-long struggle for human rights--he spentfive years as a political prisoner under the communist regime--haswon him praise and friendship from world figures such as formerPresident Bill Clinton and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel.
But despite having joined NATO in 1999--along withPoland and Hungary--and the prospect of joining the European Union,possibly as early as 2004, the post-communist years have beendifficult ones for Mr. Havel and his country.
He has waged a long battle against powerfulpolitical forces that scoff at the notion of civil society being anecessary component for a vibrant democracy even as they advocatewhat Mr. Havel has called mafia capitalism.
Now, the man who led the Velvet Revolution in1989, which brought about the bloodless overthrow of the communistregime, says he wants a break.
"I would like to withdraw from public view for acertain amount of time, to read and write," Mr. Havel said. Hedeclined to say whether he wants to do a memoir, a play or somethingelse.
He intends to remain an active voice on thepolitical scene. But he said power is overrated and he has no plansto hold office again.
"I can't find much empathy for those who yearn forpower," he said. "I never aspired to it but it came to me, and hasbeen a very interesting experience."
Jan Urban, a fellow dissident during the communistdays and now a commentator for Czech Radio, hasn't always seen eye toeye with the president, but he said Mr. Havel has come fullcircle.
"He finishes exactly as he started," Mr. Urbansaid, "as a moral authority hated by a large part of the politicalclass but admired by a large part of the population."
Published 9/17/2002
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