While concerned populations all over the world have taken to the streets to demonstrate against the US-led invasion of Iraq, what actions have governments taken ? The answer is virtually nothing.

Iraq's Arab neighbours (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the Emirates, etc) have given almost free access to the invaders to use their territory to launch attacks. Distant neighbours like India and Pakistan have mumbled their disapproval while trying not to stir up US ire.

France and Germany are more vocal. France even threatened to veto the US proposal at the UN if necessary, but now that the US has turned its nose up at the Europeans and done what it wanted, these governments are nonplussed and content with wringing their hands.

British and Spanish lackeys who prefer to take their orders from US President George W Bush, rather then follow the wishes of their own people, are too contemptible for words.

But what about others who have strongly condemned the US action? Malaysia, Indonesia and the like?

We have here the clear-cut case of o­ne nation invading another without UN approval. Under the UN Charter, this is condered aggression.

(Never mind Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's abominable character and whether there is democracy in Iraq - that is not the issue here. The charge that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction, has not been proved)

What concrete steps have those governments - who claim to act with greater conscience - taken with regard to this matter? Has a single US or British ambassador been sent packing? Has there been a boycott of goods from these countries? Has there even been a note of protest delivered to the respective embassies?

At the very least, considering that the UN Security Council was bypassed in this matter, responsible governments like the leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement (ahem) should have called for an urgent session of the UN General Assembly calling o­n the US and its allies to cease this bloody war immediately and return to the negotiating table, or be ready to face sanctions or even an armed counter-force led by the other member-states of the UN.

Okay, so the US is an economic and military superpower. But even a superpower needs customers all over the world for its products. The moral force represented by official UN condemnation of the war is something that even the US would have to contend with.

Are our governments run by such a bunch of weaklings that we dare not face the US and call it a bully to its face? If the UN General Assembly were to broadly condemn this Anglo-American invasion of Iraq, that itself would be a great morale booster for all peace-minded citizens of the world, who are boldly expressing themselves every day against this dastardly aggression - all this without the help of our elected governments.

Where is the much-vaunted leadership that our governments are supposed to provide? Or does that leadership manifest itself o­nly when it is election time?