Iraq to make a "significant announcement" to UN on weapons inspectors within a few hours

AFP via Babelfish translation ^ | September 16, 2002

[HAL9000]

Iraq would be on the point of making a "significant advertisement" with UNO (diplomats)

Monday September 16, 2002 - 19h10 GMT

BAGHDAD, 16 seven (AFP) - Iraq would be on the point of making a "significant advertisement" with UNO in the next hours, relating to the question of the return of the inspectors in disarmament, one learned Monday from Western diplomatic source in Baghdad.

The advertisement would be made "in a few hours" in New York by the head of the Iraqi diplomacy Naji Sabri, according to the diplomatic source which affirmed that the declaration "in the good direction" would defuse the crisis on the disarmament of Iraq.

The international community multiplied these last days the calls to Iraq so that it authorizes the return of the inspectors in disarmament of UNO in order to avoid an attack which the United States threatens to launch to reverse the Iraqi mode, marked to develop weapons of massive destruction.

Iraqi president Saddam Hussein chaired Monday a meeting common of the direction of the Baas party (to the capacity) and government and examined with high Iraqi persons in charge the American threats for a military offensive against the country, according to official agency INA.

The agency affirmed that the participants in the common meeting "discussed certain political questions of topicality", without more precision.

Saddam Hussein moreover examined Monday afternoon "a series of questions relating to the current political economic situation", during a second meeting in presence in particular of the number two Iraqi Ezzat Ibrahim, the vice-president Taha Yassine Ramadan, the Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Aziz and Latif Nassif Jassem, member of the Council of command of the révolutionla higher leading authority of the country), according to INA.

[Argus]

I think we will strike before it gets out of committee

I hope you are right because otherwise it will not happen, and time is shorter than even GWB is letting on.

[Madame Dufarge]

inspections will not be permitted at government sponsored healthcare, environmental or agricultural institutions or other sites deemed as sensitive to local religious populations, including islamic educational centers for children

Nice guy, hiding the weapons in hospitals and schools.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

President Bush's address to the United Nations

... SNIP ...

Our partnership of nations can meet the test before us by making clear what we now expect of the Iraqi regime.

If the Iraqi regime wishes peace, it will immediately and unconditionally forswear, disclose and remove or destroy all weapons of mass destruction, long-range missiles and all related material.

If the Iraqi regime wishes peace, it will immediately end all support for terrorism and act to suppress it -- as all states are required to do by U.N. Security Council resolutions.

If the Iraqi regime wishes peace, it will cease persecution of its civilian population, including Shi'a, Sunnis, Kurds, Turkemens and others -- again, as required by Security Council resolutions.

If the Iraqi regime wishes peace, it will release or account for all Gulf War personnel whose fate is still unknown.

It will return the remains of any who are deceased, return stolen property, accept liability for losses resulting from the invasion of Kuwait and fully cooperate with international efforts to resolve these issues as required by Security Council resolutions.

If the Iraqi regime wishes peace, it will immediately end all illicit trade outside the oil-for-food program. It will accept U.N. administration of funds from that program to ensure that the money is used fairly and promptly for the benefit of the Iraqi people.

If all these steps are taken, it will signal a new openness and accountability in Iraq and it could open the prospect of the United Nations helping to build a government that represents all Iraqis, a government based on respect for human rights, economic liberty and internationally supervised elections...SNIP ...

My nation will work with the U.N. Security Council to meet our common challenge. If Iraq's regime defies us again, the world must move deliberately, decisively to hold Iraq to account. We will work with the U.N. Security Council for the necessary resolutions.

But the purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced, the just demands of peace and security will be met or action will be unavoidable and a regime that has lost its legitimacy will also lose its power...SNIP ...

We must choose between a world of fear and a world of progress. We cannot stand by and do nothing while dangers gather. We must stand up for our security and for the permanent rights and the hopes of mankind.

By heritage and by choice, the United States of America will make that stand. And, delegates to the United Nations, you have the power to make that stand, as well.

Thank you very much.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

We are still 2 months away from being even close to launching any significant ground action. Air war this time won't get there. SoDumb's bunkers are even deeper and bigger than 12 years ago.

Do you suppose our intelligence knows where Saddam is at all times, down to the bunker? If not, is there a possibility that we could bomb the hell out of Iraq and STILL not get him? And if so, would that make the U.S. look worse in the end? After all, with bin Laden, the idea is that bin Laden is not the raison d'etre for the WOT, but with Saddam, Bush has made it plain that HE is the target. So if we fail to get Saddam, we fail, period, right?

Based on that, I would suspect that our tacticians are pretty confident they can take him out when the time comes. Does anybody have a different take on it?

[klamath]

"Saddam will allow tommy daschle and John Kerry to inspect whatever they want to for a period of 83 minutes. They will then be required declare him "weapons free"."

You forget Jimmy "no peanuts" Carter.

[Dog]

Watch the reaction to this "statement"...from the media and the DEMS....that will be telling..

[Lucas1]

Quote ""We feel this breakthrough will be the beginning of a new era of peace for the Iraqi people and will soon end the tensions felt by us all", Annan said

Ummm with those conditions? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH...how about WE FEEL those conditions INSURE your UTTER DESTRUCTION :) - that is more likely to be the truth

[ClancyJ]

I can just see those other mideast nations hottailing it to Saddam and saying "You idiot!!! If you don't get rid of those weapons they are going to come in here - get you out and put in a democracy. Then what will we do? I'm not about to give up my position for any @@@@@@@@ democracy. Now get rid of them!"

Or maybe he will just meet with an untimely accident like those Saudi princes.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Conventional wisdom as developed during the Clinton administration would lead one to presume a timely announcement by Iraq on the return of weapons inspection would be hailed on CBSNBCCBS nightly newscasts.

If however, one reads the text of the Presidents UN address (see my other post), weapons inspections is but one of the demands made on the Iraqi regime.

An announcement today will be immediately reported by Dan, Tom, and Peter as a major breakthrough and spin it as a deal to avoid war - but conventional wisdom has changed under President Bush. He doesn't lead by polls and special interest group campaign contributions - he leads by what is right for America. This is why democrats look so foolish these days and why the nightly newscasts join the UN on the worlds "Irrelevant List".

[mhking]

Conventional wisdom as developed during the Clinton administration would lead one to presume a timely announcement by Iraq on the return of weapons inspection would be hailed on CBSNBCCBS nightly newscasts.

Check the timing - we're just ahead of the network evening newscasts, too...

[OReilly]

Iraq would be on the point of making a "significant advertisement" with UNO in the next hours,

Annan had a meeting scheduled with them earlier today and it was canceled.... I suspect Annan asked for an agenda of the meeting and decided that he was not going to be trapped into being Saddam's mouthpiece... hence the "significant advertisement" to UNO.

[Dog]

How many countries does Saddam peel away with this announcement???

[AndrewC]

SoDumb's bunkers are even deeper and bigger than 12 years ago.

Ready made tombs for the bunker busters.

[Robert_Paulson2]

here it comes....

"Sadaam has agreed UNCONDITIONALLY to allow UN inspections beginning..." from the lips of a doe-eyed dan blather... "Crisis has been averted..."

Of course, the next week will be nothing but bush bashing as a war monger by the media and some (not real) allies who will visibly distance themselves from us in the UN..

Daschle will say... "we will have to look at this offer to allow unconditional inspections... " blah blah blah....

Of course NOBODY is repeating that INSPECTORS was but one of about 8 or more conditions for peace that Bush laid down.. one of which was United Nations Supervised elections... and full return and accounting for MIA's and POW's to no less than a dozen middle eastern nations... and our pilot, who was probably killed after torture....

America will go in. It is a done deal. We will go in with or without congressional support, or without allies if need be. We will deal with sadaam and his family and his supporters... I think his own people will revolt as they seem to have had enough...

America will move down the list to the next target whoever it may be... libya, iran, yemen, north korea.. or perhaps a dozen or so others... as many as we can before the next presidential election...

If congress gives approval for Iraq.. great. If not, tough crapola. Dems stand to LOSE big time if they keep up the foot dragging sh!t.

[johnb838]

This is so true -- it isn't just about the inspectors and Bush, it gives all the fence wobblers a reason to wobble back over to Saddam's side. From his perspective I doubt he's wettin' his drawers that bad at all. He's survived an awful lot so far. He's just waitin for his chance that's all, then he's gonna strike!

[Boss_Jim_Gettys]

"Like I said, this is a game of Chicken, the outcome still unknown."

The Taliban thought President Bush was playing a game of chicken too.

[Boss_Jim_Gettys]

"Bush is crazy if he things the inspection route is going to work. Let us hope he knows better than that."

Did you hear/read Bush's speech to the U.N.? The Iraqis must meet a whole list of demands and weapons inspectors is pretty far down the list.

[The Great Satan]

But that was an easy one. This is not, else Hussein would have been gone six months ago.

[johnb838]

No, the objective is regime change.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

None. Even the Arabs don't trust Saddam, IMHO. He would have to agree with ALL the demands made by Bush at the UN, and have them enforced by military force. Saddam knows he would lose face to agree, and that would be the end of his regime.

Essentially, Iraq has to agree to voluntary regime change to avoid forced regime change. This is just another chapter in the Iraqi delay playbook.