Kuwait to offer Iraq aid; France, Germany decline

Washington Times ^ | 10/23/03 | Tom Carter

[kattracks]

Kuwait said yesterday it will offer "generous aid" at an Iraq donors conference opening today in Madrid, but France and Germany said they would be offering no new funds for postwar reconstruction.

Kuwait, which has already spent $900 million on humanitarian aid to its neighbor, is one of more than 70 nations gathering for the two-day conference, where U.S. officials are hoping to capitalize on the spirit of last week's unanimous U.N. Security Council vote.

[BCrago66]

France and Germany have already "gave," even if they don't know it. For all the billions of dollars of loans they gave Hussein so he could murder hundred of thousands of Iraqis will soon be VOID.

As Nelson of the Simpson's would say: Ha-Ha!

[Michael81Dus]

http://www.odiousdebts.org/odiousdebts/index.cfm?DSP=content&ContentID=7909

http://www.jubileeiraq.org/debt_today.htm

And how do you explain that Iraq also owes some billions of Dollars to the United States? Was this money also given to support murder? And why should France and Germany have any interest in the killing of people? Just because they opposed a war against a country which did not pose a threat to us? Would you please be so kind and acknowledge that other countries are free to make their decisions how they want? It´s actually illegal to topple down a regime that means no threat to others - regardless what it does to its own people. Therefore, France and Germany were this time on the side of the law.

Don´t get me wrong: For me, it´s okay to bring down such an evil regime - but it was illegal, like the Kosovo war, which I supported too. It´s just that you can´t accuse somebody just because he followed the law!

[BCrago66]

If you place false abstractions like "international law" over the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocents murdered by a dictator, then you are a morally worthless freak.

[RandallFlagg]

It´s actually illegal to topple down a regime that means no threat to others - regardless what it does to its own people. Therefore, France and Germany were this time on the side of the law.

Don´t get me wrong: For me, it´s okay to bring down such an evil regime - but it was illegal,

Multiple violations of United Nations resolutions have been found. Iraq constantly deceived and manipulated inspectors to prevent discovery of these violations. Iraq signed a cease-fire which demanded he comply with all UN resolutions pretaining to contraband items and WMDs. Iraq signed a cease-fire which ordered compliance regarding non-targeting of coalition aircraft in no-fly-zones.

In short, it was not illegal; it was a long time coming.

[BCrago66]

But let's say, hypothetically, there were no UN resolutions, no threat to others nations, no veneer of legality whatsoever.

Who cares?

Morality precedes and is more fundamental than legality. Hussein was a mass murderer, and it was right for the USA to invade for that read alone.

[RandallFlagg]

You know that and I know that. I just had to stomp out that "Illegal war," idea (again).

[servantoftheservant]

ha ha ha! What about Kosovo? The UN never approved that, but the Germans & French participated. International Law is an ass. Anyone who bases morality or action on Int'l Law is either a naive fool, or a socialist elitist.

[Broadside Joe]

Foreign Minister Dominique de Vanillapin said yesterday in Paris. "To us, the starting point is truly the full and complete recognition of Iraqi sovereignty."

Just like Africa? Oh and what's taking so long in Bosnia?

Several organizations, including financier** George Soros'** Open Society, have criticized the conference, citing a lack of transparency in Iraq's finances.

Uh oh quagmire alert. I bet he loved the "Oil for food program" right? There was a lot of transparency, we all could see it for the scam it was.

[Broadside Joe]

See resolution 1441 and all of those that came before it.
If you want to be intellectually honest, you'll change your tune.

And don't forget the money Saddam sent to the families of the homicide bombers. $25,000 each. No threat you say?

[exit82]

Since Germany and France have declined to help out Iraq, can the ten Democratic dwarves running for President please tell me why we must depend on "the international community"
to fix Iraq?

The plate has been there for awhile and none of these so-called allies--France,Germany, and Russia have stepped up to it.

A second point: Notice how the American taxpayer, through his generosity, can underwrite tens of BILLIONS of dollars for the war to bring down Hussein, plus another $ 87 BILLION dollars, and the rest of the world can barely scrape together $ 7 billion.

Add to our cost the trillions of dollars we have spent to free 100's of millions of people worldwide in the last 60 years and the scope of our foreign and humanitarian aid in that same time frame to the rest of the world--well the rest of the world can kiss my grits!

Thank God we can generate the wealth under our economic system that keeps the world from once again trying to annihilate itself.

Every morning the rest of the world should thank God that there is a United States and that the UN doesn't run the place.

God Bless America and its President, George Bush.

[Broadside Joe]

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America: draft resolution

[Adopted as Resolution 1441 at Security Council meeting 4644, 8 November 2002]

The Security Council,

Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, in particular its resolutions 661 (1990) of 6 August 1990, 678 (1990) of 29 November 1990, 686 (1991) of 2 March 1991, 687 (1991) of 3 April 1991, 688 (1991) of 5 April 1991, 707 (1991) of 15 August 1991, 715 (1991) of 11 October 1991, 986 (1995) of 14 April 1995, and 1284 (1999) of 17 December 1999, and all the relevant statements of its President,

Recalling also its resolution 1382 (2001) of 29 November 2001 and its intention to implement it fully,

Recognizing the threat Iraq’s non-compliance with Council resolutions and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles poses to international peace and security,

Recalling that its resolution 678 (1990) authorized Member States to use all necessary means to uphold and implement its resolution 660 (1990) of 2 August 1990 and all relevant resolutions subsequent to resolution 660 (1990) and to restore international peace and security in the area,

Further recalling that its resolution 687 (1991) imposed obligations on Iraq as a necessary step for achievement of its stated objective of restoring international peace and security in the area,

***--->>>Deploring the fact that Iraq has not provided an accurate, full, final, and complete disclosure, as required by resolution 687 (1991)<<<---***, of all aspects of its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles with a range greater than one hundred and fifty kilometres, and of all holdings of such weapons, their components and production facilities and locations, as well as all other nuclear programmes, including any which it claims are for purposes not related to nuclear-weapons-usable material,

***Deploring further that Iraq repeatedly obstructed immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to sites designated by the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), failed to cooperate fully and unconditionally with UNSCOM and IAEA weapons inspectors, as required by resolution 687 (1991)***, and ultimately ceased all cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA in 1998,***

Deploring the absence, since December 1998, in Iraq of international monitoring, inspection, and verification, as required by relevant resolutions, of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, in spite of the Council’s repeated demands that Iraq provide immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), established in resolution 1284 (1999) as the successor organization to UNSCOM, and the IAEA, and regretting the consequent prolonging of the crisis in the region and the suffering of the Iraqi people,

***Deploring also that the Government of Iraq has failed to comply with its commitments pursuant to resolution 687 (1991) with regard to terrorism,*** pursuant to resolution 688 (1991) to end repression of its civilian population and to provide access by international humanitarian organizations to all those in need of assistance in Iraq, and pursuant to resolutions 686 (1991), 687 (1991), and 1284 (1999) to return or cooperate in accounting for Kuwaiti and third country nationals wrongfully detained by Iraq, or to return Kuwaiti property wrongfully seized by Iraq,

***Recalling that in its resolution 687 (1991) the Council declared that a -->>ceasefire<<-- would be based on acceptance by Iraq of the provisions of that resolution, including the obligations on Iraq contained therein,***

Determined to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq without conditions or restrictions with its obligations under resolution 687 (1991) and other relevant resolutions and recalling that the resolutions of the Council constitute the governing standard of Iraqi compliance,

Recalling that the effective operation of UNMOVIC, as the successor organization to the Special Commission, and the IAEA is essential for the implementation of resolution 687 (1991) and other relevant resolutions,

***Noting the letter dated 16 September 2002 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq addressed to the Secretary-General is a necessary first step toward rectifying Iraq’s continued failure to comply with relevant Council resolutions,***

Noting further the letter dated 8 October 2002 from the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to General Al-Saadi of the Government of Iraq laying out the practical arrangements, as a follow-up to their meeting in Vienna, that are prerequisites for the resumption of inspections in Iraq by UNMOVIC and the IAEA, and expressing the gravest concern at the continued failure by the Government of Iraq to provide confirmation of the arrangements as laid out in that letter,

Reaffirming the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, Kuwait, and the neighbouring States,

Commending the Secretary-General and members of the League of Arab States and its Secretary-General for their efforts in this regard,

Determined to secure full compliance with its decisions,

---

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

**-->> 1. Decides that Iraq has been and remains in material breach of its obligations under relevant resolutions,<<--** including resolution 687 (1991), in particular through Iraq’s failure to cooperate with United Nations inspectors and the IAEA, and to complete the actions required under paragraphs 8 to 13 of resolution 687 (1991);

2. Decides, while acknowledging paragraph 1 above, to afford Iraq, by this resolution,**-->>a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations<<--** under relevant resolutions of the Council; and accordingly decides to set up an enhanced inspection regime with the aim of bringing to full and verified completion the disarmament process established by resolution 687 (1991) and subsequent resolutions of the Council;

3. Decides that, in order to begin to comply with its disarmament obligations, in addition to submitting the required biannual declarations, -->>the Government of Iraq shall provide to UNMOVIC, the IAEA, and the Council, not later than 30 days from the date of this resolution, a currently accurate, full, and complete declaration of all aspects of its **programmes** to develop chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and other delivery systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles and dispersal systems designed for use on aircraft, including any holdings and precise locations of such weapons, components, sub-components, stocks of agents, and related material and equipment, the **locations and work of its research,** development and production facilities, as well as all other chemical, biological, and nuclear **programmes,** including any which it claims are for purposes not related to weapon production or material;

4.**-->>Decides that false statements or omissions<<--** in the declarations submitted by Iraq pursuant to this resolution and failure by Iraq at any time to comply with, and cooperate fully in the implementation of, this resolution -->>shall constitute a further material breach<<-- of Iraq’s obligations and will be reported to the Council for assessment in accordance with paragraphs 11 and 12 below;

5. Decides that Iraq shall provide UNMOVIC and the IAEA immediate, unimpeded, unconditional, and **unrestricted access to any and all, including underground, areas, facilities, buildings, equipment, records, and means of transport which they wish to inspect, as well as immediate, unimpeded, unrestricted, and private access to all officials and other persons whom UNMOVIC or the IAEA wish to interview in the mode or location of UNMOVIC’s or the IAEA’s choice pursuant to any aspect of their mandates; further decides that UNMOVIC and the IAEA may at their discretion conduct interviews inside or outside of Iraq, may facilitate the travel of those interviewed and family members outside of Iraq, and that, at the sole discretion of UNMOVIC and the IAEA, such interviews may occur without the presence of observers from the Iraqi Government; and instructs UNMOVIC and requests the IAEA to resume inspections no later than 45 days following adoption of this resolution and to update the Council 60 days thereafter;**

6. Endorses the 8 October 2002 letter from the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to General Al-Saadi of the Government of Iraq, which is annexed hereto, and decides that the contents of the letter shall be binding upon Iraq;

7. Decides further that, in view of the prolonged interruption by Iraq of the presence of UNMOVIC and the IAEA and in order for them to accomplish the tasks set forth in this resolution and all previous relevant resolutions and notwithstanding prior understandings, the Council hereby establishes the following revised or additional authorities, which shall be binding upon Iraq, to facilitate their work in Iraq:

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall determine the composition of their inspection teams and ensure that these teams are composed of the most qualified and experienced experts available;

– All UNMOVIC and IAEA personnel shall enjoy the privileges and immunities, corresponding to those of experts on mission, provided in the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the IAEA;

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have unrestricted rights of entry into and out of Iraq, the right to free, unrestricted, and immediate movement to and from inspection sites, and the right to inspect any sites and buildings, including immediate, unimpeded, unconditional, and unrestricted access to Presidential Sites equal to that at other sites, notwithstanding the provisions of resolution 1154 (1998);

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to be provided by Iraq the names of all personnel currently and formerly associated with Iraq’s chemical, biological, nuclear, and ballistic missile programmes and the associated research, development, and production facilities;

– Security of UNMOVIC and IAEA facilities shall be ensured by sufficient United Nations security guards;

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to declare, for the purposes of freezing a site to be inspected, exclusion zones, including surrounding areas and transit corridors, in which Iraq will suspend ground and aerial movement so that nothing is changed in or taken out of a site being inspected;

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the free and unrestricted use and landing of fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft, including manned and unmanned reconnaissance vehicles;

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right at their sole discretion verifiably to remove, destroy, or render harmless all prohibited weapons, subsystems, components, records, materials, and other related items, and the right to impound or close any facilities or equipment for the production thereof; and

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to free import and use of equipment or materials for inspections and to seize and export any equipment, materials, or documents taken during inspections, without search of UNMOVIC or IAEA personnel or official or personal baggage;

8. Decides further that Iraq shall not take or threaten hostile acts directed against any representative or personnel of the United Nations or the IAEA or of any Member State taking action to uphold any Council resolution;

9. Requests the Secretary-General immediately to notify Iraq of this resolution, which is binding on Iraq; demands that Iraq confirm within seven days of that notification its intention to comply fully with this resolution; and demands further that Iraq cooperate immediately, unconditionally, and actively with UNMOVIC and the IAEA;

10. Requests all Member States to give full support to UNMOVIC and the IAEA in the discharge of their mandates, including by providing any information related to prohibited programmes or other aspects of their mandates, including on Iraqi attempts since 1998 to acquire prohibited items, and by recommending sites to be inspected, persons to be interviewed, conditions of such interviews, and data to be collected, the results of which shall be reported to the Council by UNMOVIC and the IAEA;

11. Directs the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to report immediately to the Council any interference by Iraq with inspection activities, as well as any failure by Iraq to comply with its disarmament obligations, including its obligations regarding inspections under this resolution;

12. Decides to convene immediately upon receipt of a report in accordance with paragraphs 4 or 11 above, in order to consider the situation and the need for full compliance with all of the relevant Council resolutions in order to secure international peace and security;

13. ***-->>Recalls, in that context, that the Council has repeatedly warned Iraq that it will face **serious consequences** as a result of its continued violations of its obligations;<<--***

14. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Several organizations, including financier George Soros' Open Society, have criticized the conference, citing a lack of transparency in Iraq's finances.

Amnesty International asked yesterday who would benefit from the reconstruction effort.

~~~
How does a rational person respond to these people? Guess Amnesty Int'l and Soros dismiss the millions of Iraqis who were living in the worst kind of fear, poverty - suffering torture, having cities destroyed by chem weapons, whole families imprisoned and executed - and the lack of most every basic freedom.

It's time to call these groups to account for continuously inciting hatred against the freeest, most giving country in the world.

Contact NGO watch: (cut & paste):

 

 jha5@po.cwru.edu,
 cbarfield@aei.org,
 rbork@aei.org,
 jeastman@chapman.edu,
 eberstadt@aei.org,
  mgreve@aei.org,
 SHayward@aei.org,
 jkirkpatrick@aei.org,
 dkochan@gmu.edu,
 alester@lldlaw.com,
 jmakin@caxton.com,
 colp@virginia.edu,
 jmuravchik@aei.org,
 rperle@aei.org,
 DPletka@aei.org,
 sr@aei.org,
 mramsey@acusd.edu,
 jrogers@pop.uky.edu,
 msellers@ubmail.ubalt.edu,
 RSikorski@aei.org,
 rturner@law1.law.virginia.edu,
 pwilliams@wcl.american.edu,
 williamsone@sullcrom.com

~~~

If you want on or off my Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Proof that Amnesty Int'l doesn't care about the truth:

Amnesty International asked yesterday who would benefit from the reconstruction effort. "Projects should prioritize Iraqi human rights, including their right to personal security, health, education, work and reform of the judicial system," it said in a prepared statement.

The CPA, DoD, Admin has been telling the world for weeks about the detailed progress made by the Coalition - major successes in all of the above areas - done without the permission of Amnesty Int'l.

AI, by falsely accusing the real heroes and liberators throughout this conflict has shown it's true political agenda.

8 CPA Administrator Press Conference [6 mo. anniv. of Bagdhad Liberation Day. Detailed PROGRESS.]
  ~ Coalition Provisional Authority | L. Paul Bremer

8 "Since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1..." [..freedom of speech, religion, elections, no mass-executions.] ~ Coalition Provisional Authority, White House  | L Paul Bremer, VP Cheney (w/ liberties taken by me)

[Dog]

What about Cambodia??

Pol Pot ordered the murder of 2 million of his own citizens ..........yet because there was no UN sanctions or resolutions....the world couldn't stop the genocide?

Come on Michael....think this thru.......this was a legally and morally correct move on our part.

[Destructor]

"Konrad Adenauer, first Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, said in the 50´s:"

"WE HAVE THE CHOICE BETWEEN SLAVERY AND FREEDOM! ... WE CHOOSE FREEDOM!!"

I was just wondering, if you really believe the sentiment expressed in the quote? If so, please explain why you have such a huge problem with the liberation of Iraq. Would you prefer that the Iraqi people be the slaves of Saddam Hussein?

[optimistically_conservative]

There was no law broken.

Iraq continuously violated the cease fire with the US/UK maintaining a low intensity combat operation with Iraq since the end of Desert Storm.

The use of force against Iraq has been Congressionally authorized by statute numerous times in the past decade.
To argue that this was a war of aggression violating any enforceable law is laughable.

Yes, Germany and France had every right to sit out, even oppose, the US/UK effort. Yes, it was our President that led the UN to reengage Iraq after a 4 year absence with 1441. Yes, it was our 150,000 troops in the Gulf since December 2002 that opened the door for inspectors to reenter Iraq. Yes, it was our recognition that even after nearly 6 months Iraq was still not going to live up to their cease fire responsibilities that led us to remove Hussein, just as Clinton decided to remove Milosevic.

And yes, France and Germany were on the wrong side of that decision morally. But you're right, France and Germany after doing nothing to pressure Iraq - in fact the opposite - had the legal right to be weasels (again).

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[americanbychoice]

Michael,Please let me know, point me in the right direction about where I can find a book of international law? What body has written international law pertaining to anything? International Law is made up on the fly, by whatever circumstances warrant opinions.

[Michael81Dus]

I have no problem with the liberation of Iraq. I just consider the war as morally justified, but illegal regarding the international law.