Regards, Ivan
Posted on 10/02/2002 8:45:52 AM PDT by MadIvan
Former US President Bill Clinton has stressed the need to strengthen the United Nations and to "call Saddam Hussein's bluff" with tough new inspections demands.
He told the Labour conference in Blackpool that although the Iraqi leader posed a real threat to the world, using force against him should be a last resort.
His call came after UK foreign secretary Jack Straw told BBC News Online that the UK would press for "much tougher" weapons inspections regulations for Iraq than the "defective" ones agreed by the UN inspectors and Baghdad.
Both the UK and the US have said they will oppose the resumption of inspection until the UN Security Council lays down some tougher rules - including the threat of military action if the inspectors are unable to do their jobs.
Russia on the other hand has welcomed the deal, which it says paves the way for the inspectors' return.
Iraq's deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz responded to the US reaction by saying they were afraid of letting inspectors in because they knew they would find no illegal weapons.
Ovation for Clinton
The excitement surrounding Mr Clinton's visit to Blackpool was shown by a huge standing ovation from delegates before Tony Blair even had the chance to introduce his close political and personal friend.
This friends, is why we need a Tory government. As good as Blair has been on the war on terror, in the end, we need Tories - Ivan
As well as calling for a more integrated world, Mr Clinton extolled the virtues of the Blairite "Third Way" philosophy.
Thanks a lot, Bill, not that we don't hear enough of this rubbish as it is - Ivan
And he said Northern Ireland's peace moves had brought peace to people across the world.
I'm on the phone to the lovely Happygal as I type this, and she is still stunned by this statement - Ivan
But it was the passages he devoted to the Iraq crisis that attracted the most attention.
The UN had to insist on unrestricted access for weapons inspectors, argued Mr Clinton on the day the US and UK rejected Iraq's latest inspections offer.
"Saddam Hussein as usual is bobbing and weaving," he said. "We should call his bluff.
Bobbing was Monica's job, weaving tall tales was Bill's, I can see why he's upset that he's been deprived of this role - Ivan
"The UN should call for a complete and unrestricted set of inspections with a new resolution.
Sorry Bill, they're still trying to figure out the meaning of 'is' - Ivan
"If the inspections go forward, and I hope they will, perhaps we can avoid a conflict."
Not bloody likely - Ivan
Inspections had done more to tackle the build-up of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq than the Gulf War, he said.
If the inspections are incomplete then we don't how many weapons of mass destruction there are or how many have been destroyed or how many have actually been built up, so therefore Bill is saying that he something that he knows not the effectiveness of is more effective than something he knows not the effectiveness of - Ivan
"I believe we have to stay at this business until we get all those biological and chemical weapons out of there."
Note: no call for regime change. He wants Saddam to stick around for the next Democrat president to beat up on when his trousers, inevitable, are caught around his ankles. Or in Hillary's case, her cankles - Ivan
'Becoming institutions'
The west was not blameless in the problems affecting the Iraqi people, he argued, saying there had been "hardly a peep" over the gassing of the Kurds.
In a speech dominated by an internationalist message, Mr Clinton argued for action to be taken through the UN.
And we know what a splendid, effective and forthright record they have - Ivan
The UN, however, was still "becoming", he said.
"We've only had 10 years to make it work" and there were still people in the UN who voted according to the sort of narrow national self-interests seen in the Cold War.
The UK and US had acted over Kosovo despite Russia vetoeing a UN resolution because of its historic links with the Serbs, he recalled.
Mr Clinton said that the European Union was also a "becoming" institution, saying that both the UN and the EU would be different in nature in five to ten years.
He told delegates about his recent visit to Africa, using it to illustrate the interdependent nature of the world.
"Kumbaya, my lord, kumbaya..." - Ivan
The number one test for people of all nations was to move from an interdependent world to global community with shared values, he argued.
Burger bar
Like Mr Blair, a disciple of the Third Way, the ex-president said the best thing going for the philosophy was that it worked.
The former president had arrived in Blackpool on Tuesday along with film star Kevin Spacey.
At a reception hosted by Mr Blair the Oscar winner did a series of impersonations of political figures for guests at the party.
Together with Downing Street communications director Alastair Campbell, the pair paid a visit to a McDonalds restaurant where they ate burgers and glad-handed surprised diners.
Regards, Ivan
I'm not sure what glad-handing is...but isn't there obscenity laws about this sort of thing? :-)
In Weird Bill's case, the game is always strip poker, and he's using a marked set of cards.
Regards, Ivan
Well, were he to glad handle you, mo mhile gra, sharia law would apply. ;)
Regards, Ivan
Well you know, "when in Rome...". You'd think he could at least go to a London pub and order something local for once like bangers and mash
Or he could be like a real British bloke and go get a curry and lager.
Regards, Ivan
Ah, but the lovely Happygal in and of herself is good news, always. ;)
As for where I find accurate news, I get it from the Daily Telegraph.
Regards, Ivan
I entirely agree. There is an element of treating the electorate as "the little people" in Bill Clinton's demeanour. I have been disgusted with him since 1992. Now he comes here and dumps his poison into the politics of my country. My disgust which has long turned to rage, becomes incendiary.
Regards, Ivan
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