Iraq seeks support of Syria, China in face of U.S. threats

CAIRO, Egypt - Senior Iraqi envoys sought to enlist support in Syria and China on Tuesday against increasingly explicit U.S. threats of attack against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's government. Meanwhile, two close U.S. allies in the Arab world warned that a new war against Hussein could sow chaos in the Middle East.

The urgent Iraqi diplomacy - with Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan in Damascus and Foreign Minister Naji Sabri in Beijing - came in the wake of a speech Monday by Vice President Dick Cheney outlining what the Bush administration says are imperative reasons for pushing Hussein from power and warning it must take action sooner rather than later.

Repsonding to Cheney's remarks, Ramadan told reporters in Damascus that the threats were more U.S. "despotism" against Arabs and that the entire Arab world should worry that a U.S. attack on Baghdad would be another sign of U.S. animosity toward Arab states.

His comments echoed language attributed to Hussein himself Tuesday. "The American threats do not target Iraq alone but all the Arab nation," the Iraqi president said durring a meeting with the foreign minister of Qatar, according to the official Iraqi News Agency Reuters reported.

"Iraq has implemented all obligations imposed on it by (U.N.) Security Council resolutions," Hussein said, accusing the international body of not implementing its commitments, including respecting Iraq's sovereignty and lifting sanctions imposed on Baghdad follwing its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Sabri, the Iragi foreign minister, was reported Tuesday to be in China, which wields veto power on the U.N. Security Council and traditionally has opposed interference in other country's affairs. Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz also is likely to travel as part of the Iraqi campaign for support abroad against a U.S. attack, diplomats said.

Eqypt, traditionally a U.S. ally and part of the coalition against Iraq durring the 1991 Persian Gulf War, warned that the kind of attack envisaged by Cheney would be a bad idea with unforeseen consequences.

"Striking Iraq is something that could have repercussions and post-strike developments. We fear chaos happening in the region," Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said in remarks reported on Egyptian teletvision. Mubarak said that, contrary to Cheney, he sees "no need" for military action against Baghdad.

Similar opposition was epxressed Tuesday by the leadership of Qatar, another close U.S. ally.

A U.S. war with Iraq qould be a "catastrophe," Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad Bin Jasim al-Thani said during a visit to Baghdad, according to wier service reports from the city. "We are of course against any military action."

Yes, Iraq had to go and see their masters in Beijing. I don't buy ANYTHING that comes from China. Period. (Hard to do with electronics as the internals often come from these bastards.) China is the end game, and they know that we know it. The clock is ticking. Sleep well, China. Those footsteps outside your door are getting louder - somehow they sound like US combat boots, don't they?

China has given support to Iraq.

Their state controlled media the last couple days has supported Iraq and even printed an interview with the Iraqi ambassador in China where the US is compared to Japan of WWII and that Iraq will hold off against the US just like China did against Japan.

Such an analogy is the strongest and clearest public support and siding with Iraq that can be given in China.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.