Obituary: Principle and passion Robin Cook (1946-2005) As Western democracies grapple with terrorism, it becomes imperative to reflect on the legacy of the late British Foreign Minister Robin Cook. He was a man of vision, and his vision was radically different from that of United States President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Yes, Cook served in Blair's government, but he had strong views on a number of pertinent questions, such as Iraq. Indeed, he resigned his post in March 2003 precisely because of differences with Blair over Britain's Iraq policy. He quit exactly two days before the American and British-led assault on Iraq which led to the overthrow and capturing of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Cook understood that redefining the boundary between advancing democracy and respecting human rights in the international arena, on the one hand, and militarily forcing Western values on other cultures, on the other, was of vital importance in the fight against terror. While he backed NATO's intervention in Kosovo in 1999, he was vehemently opposed to Western intervention in Iraq. Indeed, Cook forged what later came to be known as "ethical foreign policy" in Britain. It was a new concept, one that garnered much public support across Britain, Europe and among many developing countries of the South. "I cannot support a war without international agreement or domestic support," Cook explained at the time of his resignation over Iraq. He also understood that on the home front, under no circumstances must civil liberties be sacrificed on the dubious alter of fighting terrorism. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan was among the dignitaries and international statesmen who paid tribute to the late British foreign secretary. Cook, Annan said in a statement released soon after his death was announced, was a man of "exceptional intellect, eloquence, vision and passion in the domestic and international arenas". Even those who disagreed politically with him paid tribute. "Cook was a friend of the United States, a skilled diplomat, and a passionate defender of human freedom and dignity," said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Tribute also came from Britain's European neighbours. French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy also added his voice and paid homage to the memory of this man "who was deeply European and committed to Franco-British friendship". With Cook's untimely death, the precise nature of the relationship between Britain and the Arab world can be reviewed with fresh eyes. It is time to draw parallels, and reflect on the current state of British policies towards the Middle East. The comparison inevitably calls into question British policy on Iraq and Palestine. Cook expressed, indeed embodied, the very best tradition of the British left. Cook's heart and soul belonged to the Labour Party, yet this fiercely independent British politician "never joined the pack", as one commentary, published in The Financial Times, opined. Sure, he was a socialist firebrand, but only because "Labour was in the blood." When Cook took a stand, it was his conscience that demanded it: "if his criticism of the war was unremitting," the Financial Times commentary continued, "it was also devoid of the half- truths with which many others sought to make the same case." Cook will be sorely missed and fondly remembered throughout the Arab world. "He was a man of extraordinary intelligence and considerable integrity," Sir Derek Plumbly, British ambassador to Egypt, told Al-Ahram Weekly. "He was among the best public speakers of his generation," he added. Gamal Nkrumah
