TRAITOR
:
Posted on 09/26/2002 11:40:57 PM PDT by HAL9000
Baghdad arrival of three democratic elected officials of the American Congress
Friday September 27, 2002 - 6h29 GMT
BAGHDAD, 27 seven (AFP) - Three democratic elected officials of the American Room of the representatives arrived Friday to Baghdad to evaluate the consequences of an attack of the United States against Iraq, noted a journalist of the AFP to the airport.
The members of Parliament, David Bonior (Michigan, north), Michael Thompson (California, west) and Jim McDermott (state of Washington, the North-West), had arrived on board a Jordanian plane. They left at once the international airport of Saddam Hussein towards hotel Al-Mansour, in the center of Baghdad.
The duration of their stay was not specified.
These three elected officials had expressed the hope to be able to evaluate the impact of a new war on the Iraqi population and to clarify "the dangerous implications for the national safety of the United States of a preventive striking against Iraq".
It is about the second visit in Iraq of American elected officials opposed to the war.
To mid-September, Nick Rahall, representative of Virginia Occidentale (northern is) had gone to Baghdad for a humane mission and had pled in front of the Iraqi French National Assembly so that Baghdad accepts the inspections of UNO on the armaments to avoid a conflict.
The visit in Iraq of American members of Parliament intervenes whereas the United States intensified their diplomatic efforts within the Security Council to tighten the vice around the mode of Saddam Hussein, that they want to reverse.
Washington and London announced Thursday to have agreed on the terms of a new resolution of UNO against Baghdad, whereas the United States reinforced their charges of bonds between Iraq and terrorist network Al-Qaïda.
Democratic congressmen arrive in Baghdad
Friday, September 27, 2002 Posted: 1:11 AM EDT (0511 GMT)
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two U.S. congressmen -- critics of U.S. military action against Iraq -- arrived here Friday on a mission to convince Iraqi leaders to allow U.N. weapons inspectors to return without interference in order to avoid war.
Reps. David Bonior, D-Michigan, and Jim McDermott, D-Washington, landed in Baghdad with a delegation of humanitarian workers and others. Bonior said he and McDermott hope to persuade Iraqi leaders to allow U.N. weapons inspectors free access in order to avoid a possible U.S. attack, which both say they would oppose.
"What is there to risk in waiting two weeks to see what kind of access is provided? There is no risk," Bonior told CNN's "American Morning" earlier in the week.
The congressmen said they do not expect to meet with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but they hope to see Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and other senior Iraqi officials.
While in Iraq, the congressmen will also visit hospitals, food distribution sites and other similar locations so they can get a feel for the humanitarian situation in Iraq.
"I tend to think there are other ways to deal with the disarmament of Iraq, and we should exhaust every single possibility to do that before the United States takes the absolutely unprecedented step of a pre-emptive strike," McDermott said in a statement before leaving for Iraq.
Iraq has offered to allow weapons inspectors to return, and a senior aide to Saddam said Tuesday they would have "unfettered access," but details remain to be worked out.
"What I am advising is that we have the inspections," McDermott said. "No one is saying that Saddam Hussein is a good person or honest or trustworthy or loyal or reverent."
President Bush has asked the United Nations to enforce its resolutions requiring Iraq to give up weapons of mass destruction. Bush has warned the United Nations that the United States will move against Iraq by itself if the U.N. Security Council fails to take action.
Bonior called for caution ahead of any U.S. military action.
"We continue to rattle sabers and pound war drums, and yet we have very little idea of challenges we could face afterwards," Bonior said in a statement. "What happens to our standing on the world stage if we act alone?"
I'll tell you what happens. "Hey, don't tick off the US, if you don't want to end up a parking lot."
No matter what anyone says, all that is really recognized and respected on the International stage is strength. The world is just doubly blessed because we are also good.
Evil!
Evil incarnate!
:
1. CNN doesn't mention Michael Thompson's presence. Why not?
2. CNN also doesn't mention the earlier visit of Nick Rahall, representative of Virginia Occidentale. Would that be a division of Occidental Petroleum, as in Al Gore?
CNN does mention this:
The congressmen said they do not expect to meet with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but they hope to see Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and other senior Iraqi officials.
Anyone else want to know who those senior officials are and why they want to meet with them?
As near as I can tell from a quick survey, Rahall and several others in congress have been all over the ME, working on new oil supplies and working toward democratization and opening up of the Arab countries. He and Occidental do not appear to be directly connected--they just show up in the same articles and periodicals because we're trying to open up markets and privatization.
So it may be that these other dims are looking to follow up on whatever contacts Rahall made.
And maybe CNN didn't mention Rahall because they were actually being responsible. Maybe they don't want to signal to al-Qaeda that all of this oil cooperation is going on.
Heh. "Virginie Occidentale" is French for "West Virginia", and Babelfish did not translate it correctly. There is nothing in the article about Occidental Petroleum.
However, it would be interesting to find out how Occidental Petroleum would be affected by the events in Iraq.
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.