Iraqis Change Defiant Tone And Admit Likelihood Of War

Independent (UK) ^ | Andrew Gumbel/Kim Sengupta

[blam]

Iraqis change defiant tone and admit likelihood of war

By Andrew Gumbel and Kim Sengupta
30 September 2002

As US and British diplomats fanned out across the globe yesterday in an effort to ram their toughly worded resolution on Iraq through the United Nations Security Council, the Iraqis appeared, for the first time, to be resigned to the likelihood of war.

Envoys were spread from Paris to Moscow and from Ankara to Beijing to urge support for an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein that the Iraqis have said they cannot accept.

But while the French, the Russians and the Chinese all seemed determined to give UN weapons inspections a real chance before giving the green light to a US invasion, the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, said: "I hope the Security Council will be strong enough and fair enough to resist American pressure. But I am not confident about the capability of the UN to resist American pressure and American manipulation."

Mr Aziz's tone was different from the defiance he expressed just a day earlier, when he said it was out of the question for Iraq to accept more stringent conditions for weapons inspections than those already put in place by the UN. That refusal became the focus of international discussions yesterday, and it remained to be seen whether the Iraqi position would further divide the permanent members of the UN Security Council, or tip the balance against Baghdad.

President George Bush and Tony Blair are believed to be seeking a very short time-frame for Iraq to give details of its weapons programmes, to be followed by full verification by inspectors granted access to everywhere including President Saddam's private residences, which have previously been off-limits.

A fatalistic Mr Aziz accused the Americans of doing everything to prevent the weapons inspectors from returning to Iraq to maximise the justification for war. "If the inspectors declare that Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction, which is the case, and we are sure of that, what is George Bush going to do?" he asked.

"We cannot boast we can break the US army," Mr Aziz added. "But we shall defend our homeland, it is our responsibility and we are prepared for it.... Our people will fully support us and play their part in the struggle that lies ahead."

Baghdad is pinning its remaining hopes on talks in Vienna today between its officials and Hans Blix, the chief UN weapons inspector.

Mr Blix has been promised an up-to-date list of equipment and materials which have both civilian and military uses and how they are deployed, for the first time since the monitors pulled out in 1998.

The tough US and British line has prompted misgivings domestically. Yesterday three US congressmen visiting Iraq, all Democrats, insisted that weapons inspections had to be given a chance and that the Iraqis seemed inclined to co-operate.

While the congressmen spoke, from Basra, US and British warplanes attacked that city's airport and were reported to have knocked out its radar. This appeared designed to turn up the pressure on Iraq.

[blam]

"While the congressmen spoke, from Basra, US and British warplanes attacked that city's airport and were reported to have knocked out its radar. "

Missed the traitor SOB's!

[terilyn]

Darn, they'll have to try again!

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[Diogenesis]

THESE are dead children, previously playing in Halabja [March 1988].
Terrorist Saddam used chemical weapons against his own people
until the "streets were piled with corpses."
Their murders are now defended by the terrorist supporters like those who violate the Logan Act.

[jimkress]

If the people from the Independent had been running England in 1940, the langauge in England today would be German.

[tet68]

"Mother of all battles, yada yada yada."

[blam]

"If the people from the Independent had been running England in 1940, the langauge in England today would be German."

The same can be said about the people in the government there today also.

[BulletBrasDotNet]

This moron, Aziz, has been spinning us for so long (1990 through today) that he's spun out. His arguments go around in circles faster than a Maytag. I'd like to see one of our guys put a .22 through the back of his skull and see the reaction from the Butcher. Maybe we could get firm footing and traction from these towel heads.

[11B3]

Traction? I'll give you traction on Aziz - he'd make excellent track grease for an Abrams tank.

[imperator007]

Sadaam Hussein ordered all his people to crap in the streets (as they often do anyway) in order to deter and repel the invading American troops.

[Ranger]

Now that Saddam's henchmen and menions realize that he intends to drive the bus off the cliff with them in it, Western intelligence agencies will have a field day recruiting and turning them.

[Timm]

But while the French, the Russians and the Chinese all seemed determined to give UN weapons inspections a real chance before giving the green light to a US invasion,...

This is such cr*p. "A real chance"?

If these countries believed inspections could work, why not endorse the new resolution? The new resolution calls for inspections, after all, and if they work Iraq can avoid conflict.

The whole point of opposing a new resolution is precisely to see to it that nothing is given any chance, real or otherwise, to disarm Iraq.

[BulletBrasDotNet]

Traction? I'll give you traction on Aziz - he'd make excellent track grease for an Abrams tank.

Good call. I think General Patton made a similar remark in WWII. I'm sure someone will be able to recal his famous speech.

[BulletBrasDotNet]

Agreed. 90% of the World's population are... not too bright. Camel drivers, Chinese junk navigators, snake charmers, rice-paddy harvesters, and pethetic followers of regimes who do not understand freedom. This is our "enemy." These people hate us because they do not understand us. This is the message that President Bush has been broadcasting to the World several times a week for the last 12 months. No one listens. With the exception of Great Britain, our allies are cowards. If I were W, I'd pull out of NATO and kick the strategic dictators habitating offices in the UN on United States soil to exit their office by the end of November. Then, I would tear down the UN building, and rebuild one of many, WTC Towers on that real estate. I live 40 miles north of WTC. I've been to what was the WTC. Today there is a hole in the ground that, when looking at the huge trucks, they look like dinkey toys. It was surreal a year ago with 17 stories of rubble above ground. Now, today, it is surreal looking at a hole in the ground seven stories below. The delta is 34 stories of rubble REMOVAL destruction! Oh well, the traitors in Iraq should have smelled the bodies of 200 people who flailed themselves off the WTC towers. If they had heard the splats of live human people hitting streets and sidewalks on Church Street, they would not be playing games with the Butcher of Baghdad. I'd bet that these "Three Amigo" traitors did not visit Ground Zero. Well... my friends. I'm a very staunch American... seven generation... getting older, and more critical of those who want to destroy my children's future; and destroy our military. As far as I am concerned, I'd vote to eliminate every non-military personnel out of every goverment office. Some folks do not understand the role of the Federal Government. Probably because they never read the Constitution of the United States of America.