Saddam's move stunned both U.S. and Israel, stalls war plans

Worldtribune via Drudge ^

[RCW2001]

Saddam's move stunned both U.S. and Israel, stalls war plans

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COMFriday, September 20, 2002

The White House was taken by surprise by Iraq's agreement to the return of United Nations weapons inspectors and the turn of events has apparently forced the Pentagon to delay its planned attack on Iraq until February.

Meanwhile, suicide attacks have resumed in Israel and the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fears Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's move will extend Palestinian Authority's Yasser Arafat's weakening grip on power, Middle East Newsline reported.

U.S. officials said the Bush administration was stunned by Saddam's rapid response to Washington's call for the unconditional return of the weapons inspectors. The option for UN inspections was made by President George Bush in his address to the UN General Assembly last week. By the weekend, officials said, the United States had obtained information that Saddam had already agreed to an unconditional return of the UN weapons inspectors although the term "unconditional" referred only to military locations. They said the administration obtained a draft of Iraq's letter to be delivered to the UN on Monday.

"The only thing that was perhaps a little surprising was that it [Iraq] did it so early in the process," Secretary of State Colin Powell said yesterday. "And the reason it did it so early in the process was because of the enormous pressure that had been generated on Iraq as a result of President Bush's speech. They were under enormous pressure and they were afraid of the consequences of their continued misbehavior."

Western diplomatic sources said Saddam's agreement for the return of UN inspectors appears to have set back Defense Department plans for an attack on Iraq. The sources said such an attack, proposed for late November or December, has been delayed until at least February.

Israeli officials said they are concerned that the decision by the United States to revert the Iraqi issue to the United Nations would result in a boost in morale as well as financial aid by Baghdad to Saddam Hussein's ally Arafat and to Palestinian militant groups. They said Saddam wants to divert UN attention from Iraq to the Palestinian issue. "A break in the U.S. focus on Iraq would not be good for Israel," an Israeli official said. "We think Saddam will do his best to use the new breathing space to divert U.S. focus away from Iraq and toward the Palestinian issue."

[In New York, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said Baghdad wants to increase aid to the Palestinians. "We feel that the support we have extended has not been as high as we have hoped because of the circumstances which have curtailed our means," Sabri said.]

Pentagon officials said they were concerned that the Security Council would take at least six months until the inspections begin. They said the United States would have little control over the activities of the UN weapons inspection team, which probably would not include Americans.

"That would be something that would be decided by the UN — not a happy prospect," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Congress on Wednesday.

A senior Bush administration official said Washington does not intend to allow Saddam to delay the return of UN weapons inspectors. The official said the United States will not rule out a military campaign against Saddam even if the inspectors return.

The senior official also said the Bush administration will not wait for months for the return of the inspectors. He said this issue has been part of the consultations with other members of UN Security Council.

[Frank_Discussion]

Wow... this reporter has a lot of "unnamed sources" doesn't he?

[Miss Marple]

Well, I wasn't stunned, and neither were a whole bunch of people on this forum. It was to be expected, and I am certain that the administration was prepared for this contingency.

That is why there was no mention of inspections in the President's UN speech.

[piasa]

Agreed- everyone knew he'd offer inspections... what was this 'journalist' smoking?

[Uncle Miltie]

"The White House was taken by surprise by Iraq's agreement to the return of United Nations weapons inspectors"

This is patently ridiculous. The White House had a pre-written press release out within minutes of Iraq's "agreement." The Administration clearly had prepared for exactly this move by Saddam; not a beat was missed.

[hapsgroupie]

'...although the term "unconditional" referred only to military locations.'

Great. Now all Saddam has to do is store the nukes somewhere else and let us find nothing. Then he's free for another 12 or so years.

[Mark17]

Great. Now all Saddam has to do is store the nukes somewhere else and let us find nothing. Then he's free for another 12 or so years.

I'll bet he stores them in baby milk factories.

[Sabertooth]

The White House was taken by surprise by Iraq's agreement to the return of United Nations weapons inspectors and the turn of events has apparently forced the Pentagon to delay its planned attack on Iraq until February.

At first glance, the disinformation appears to be so obvious it could only fool reporters. But there are always the Europeans...

[Northpaw]

In about 6 months, there will be no place left in Iraq to hide anything, including Saddam.

[vbmoneyspender]

Come on, this is silly. The very first thing the administration expected Hussein to do was make some bogus concession regarding inspectors/inspections. They particularly expected this to happen given that this is not the first time Hussein has done this. In fact, Hussein has done this over and over and over again - which just goes to show that Hussein never learned the moral from the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf, which is 'never to tell the same lie twice.'

[Fides et Ratio]

"At first glance, the disinformation appears to be so obvious it could only fool reporters. But there are always the Europeans..."

Amen. My thoughts exactly.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The White House was taken by surprise by Iraq's agreement to the return of United Nations weapons inspectors and the turn of events has apparently forced the Pentagon to delay its planned attack on Iraq until February.

Surprised by what? That Saddam made another sham offer to allow UN inspectors to inspect nothing?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Saddam stunned no one, except for this imbecile.

[Nik Naym]

"Saddam's move stunned both U.S. and Israel,..."

Umm, No it didn't.

"...stalls war plans"

Umm, No it didn't.

Amazing thing is, some idiot got paid to write this stuff.

Nik

[gaspar]

This internet news source claims that its raison d'etre is the scarcity of international news. Most of the articles it produces is a rehash of news produced elsewhere -- which accounts for its lack of unnamed sources. Basically, it doesn't have any.

[Coop]

The White House was taken by surprise by Iraq's agreement to the return of United Nations weapons inspectors and the turn of events has apparently forced the Pentagon to delay its planned attack on Iraq until February.

There is absolutely no way on God's green Earth that Saddam's move caught anyone at the White House by surprise.