Posted on 09/16/2002 4:41:39 PM PDT by ArcLight
Iraq says it will allow U.N. weapons inspectors to immediately return to the country without conditions, but a senior U.S. official discounted the announcement, saying "we do not take what Saddam says at face value."
Word that Iraq would allow inspections to resume came Monday in a letter delivered to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri delivered the letter in a meeting with Annan and the secretary-general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Does he think we wont react??
Besides, it was not unlikely something like this would happen. The Iraqis are squirming under the pressure, hoping to get out from under. Bush has backed the world into a corner. Either make this guy live up to his new pledge, or don't blame the US if we make him. I'd be astonished if there really were unconditional inspections, but if there are, it'd be impossible for Iraq to hide more than a token amount of the really bad stuff. He could hide small-scale facilities, but nothing more. So we neutralize his country as a threat in that department. How is that a bad thing?
And if, as I suspect, Saddam doesn't keep his word, you have your war.
However the actual drafting has yet to begin -- some diplomats tell CNN they don't expect pens to be put to paper until later this week -- with a final draft ready by month's end.
The irrelevance clock is running.
Tick - Tock...
Not especially, but it already started, a year ago last week.
You're a naive freeper ArcLight. Iraq has 168,928 square miles of territory. How long you figure it will take to search it all?
What's that thing that started on 9/11/01, if it's not a war?
The United States helped found the United Nations. We want the United Nations to be effective, and respectful, and successful. We want the resolutions of the world's most important multilateral body to be enforced. And right now those resolutions are being unilaterally subverted by the Iraqi regime. 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, Turkomans, 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 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 the 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.
Absolutely, they anticipated this.
This is a very old trick of not only Saddam, but the Palestinians and others as well. They wait until what they believe to be the very last second, and then they come up with a red herring, bait-and-switch "announcement" or "declaration" or "letter" etc. The idea is to screw up the timing of any imminent attack, and also offer ammo to the reliable Euro-scum and American liberal press knowing that these fools can be depended upon to help them buy some time. Very old trick. Saddam must have had reason to believe we were days away from an attack of some kind.
Bush should give the word right now - - "bombs away!"
Here come your "inspectors", Saddam.
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.