Posted on 07/19/2002 12:12:12 AM PDT by StopDemocratsDotCom
United Nations- Iraqi President Saddam Hussein intends to invite UN arms officials to Baghdad next month, Iraqi diplomats in New York confirm to Newsmax. If the Iraqi leader follows through, it would mark the first time UN inspectors have been allowed inside the country since December, 1998.
At that time, UN arms chief Richard Butler decided to evacuate the country in advance of Operation Desert Fox.
Just two weeks ago in Vienna, a third round of talks between UN chief Kofi Annan and Iraqi officals called to discuss arms inspections, ended in deadlock. However, both sides did agree to continue "technical" talks at a time and place to be determined.
Now, it appears the "technical" talks will continue in Baghdad.
The Iraqi diplomat explained that while UN arms chief Hans Blix would be invited to Baghdad, no decision has yet been made to allow arms inspections to resume.
UN officials speculate that Iraq may have been tempted to intend to make the offer to forestall any impending US military action. Talk at the UN has been centering on some sort of US military move in August,when Washington becomes president of the Security Council.
The issue of Iraq was raised on Tuesday when Secretary of State Colin Powell met privately with Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov in New York.
While keeping the US at bay, UN officials feel that Iraq may also use any delay in US action to sanitize weapons sites and hide any "prohibited" weapons in isolated areas around the country.
The UN, though yet to be given a green light to resume inspections, would be given an opportunity to physically inspect and assess the condition of their facilities vacant for almost 4 years.
"We would expect our facilities to be pretty much in the same condition we left them, but who knows?" explained Ewen Buchanan,spokesman for UNMOVIC (UN Monitoring, Observation,Verification and Inspection Commission).
It is unclear whether the Bush administration would seek to block such a UN visit. Representatives of US/UN ambassador John Negroponte refused to comment on the latest Iraqi move.
UN officials explain that while the US may not be in favor of such a visit, "Washington would be under intense pressure by the French, Russians and Chinese to let the trip go forward."
While the visit in reality may not move the UN any closer to the resumption of arms inspections, the expected media attention of UN arms officials touching down in Baghdad, would be worth its weight in gold to Saddam Husseinm, confided an UNMOVIC staffer.
Were GW to announce "It's up to the Iraqi Government and Saddam to ensure the safety of the UN personnel, because the United States certainly will not. Saddam had his chance to comply with real WMD inspections and did nothing but stall. Now the US will take the actions necessary to ensure the safety of it's citizens and western civilization itself. The presence of international organizations in Iraq will not alter our course or timing.".........would give some pause to the Euroweenies, leftists and UN peaceniks.
When are they going to catch on......WE ARE THE NEW WORLD ORDER!
Please - Saddam is stalling for all the time he can get his hands on. The longer he stalls, the more his assets are hidden and dug in so as to make it harder to get to them. Also, the longer he stalls, the better a chance he's got to fit a few medium range warheads with something nasty to lob at Israel and a few other local neighbors once we get started.
Hit this SOB n-o-w. The longer we wait, the worse the conflageration will be for the remainder of the theater (including Israel).
He'll try it and fail, of course.
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