East Europe says Powell has proved Iraq is lying

Reuters | 2/05/03 | Dina Kyriakidou

[kattracks]

BUCHAREST, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Ten east European states threw their weight on Wednesday behind the U.S. bid to disarm Iraq, saying Washington had shown the United Nations it must act to rid Baghdad of its banned weapons of mass destruction.

After U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told the U.N. Security Council Iraq had conspired to hide weapons of mass destruction from inspectors, the 10 NATO aspirants said they were convinced by Washington's "compelling evidence".

"The clear and present danger posed by the Saddam Hussein regime requires a united response from the community of democracies," the ex-communist states said in a statement released in New York.

The declaration underlines the strong support for the U.S. in ex-Warsaw pact countries, who are still grateful for American support for their battle to escape Soviet domination and for Washington's backing for their NATO membership bids.

It also pins them firmly on the pro-American side of the split within Europe over how to rid Iraq of its alleged arsenal of weapons of mass destruction.

"Our countries understand the dangers posed by tyranny and the special responsibility of democracies to defend our shared values," the statement by the 10 foreign ministers said.

The signatories were Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia, who have already been invited to join NATO, as well as ex-Yugoslav states, Croatia, Macedonia and Albania, who are campaigning to be allowed into the alliance.

The 10 said Powell had successfully demonstrated in his presentation to the United Nations that Iraq hid banned weapons, deceived inspectors and was linked to international terrorism.

"The trans-Atlantic community...must stand together to face the threat posed by the nexus of terrorism and dictators with weapons of mass destruction," it said.

Baghdad was in "material breach" of U.N. resolutions, it added, invoking the code for backing the use of U.S. military might to invade Iraq. Most of the signatories have been asked to provide some military or technical assistance to the U.S.

Ex-communist NATO members Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic last week signed up to a similar statement backing the tough stance taken by U.S. President George W. Bush.

That letter, also signed by Britain, Denmark, Italy, Portugal and Spain, opened a rift with other European Union members France and Germany, which have misgivings about going to war to force Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to disarm.

Iraq denies possessing banned weapons and says Washington is not interested in disarming the Middle East state but in gaining control of its oil riches. (Additional reporting by Erik Brynhildsbakken in Riga) ((Reporting by Dina Kyriakidou, editing by Ian MacKenzie;

[Connservative]

****
1) Albania
2) Britain
3) Bulgaria
4) Croatia
5) Czech Republic
6) Denmark
7) Estonia
8) Hungary
9) Italy
10) Latvia
11) Lithuania
12) Macedonia
13) Poland
14) Portugal
15) Romania
16) Slovenia
17) Spain
18) United States of America
*****

But, but, I thought we were acting unilateraly??? [/end sarcasm]

Seriously, Biden is talking about how 'we have to have as many on board as we can'. Yet again raising the bar.

Like it matters, we're going in. France, Germany, Russia and China will get on board sooner or later.

[goodnesswins]

THE list KEEPS GROWING...

WHO has joined the ALLIES FOR LIBERTY & FREEDOM?

THESE ARE the 26 ALLIES for IRAQI people’s (women & children included) FREEDOM

U.S., Britian, Australia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Italy, Portugal, Turkey,

Slovakia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Spain, Quatar, Jordan, Albania, Kuwait, Israel, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Macedonia, Lithuania, Croatia, and Japan

FREE the IRAQI people!!!

	What OTHER country wants the IRAQI citizens FREEDOM?
	UK	AUSTRALIA
ISRAEL	POLAND	JAPAN
SPAIN	CZECH	PORTUGAL
KUWAIT	HUNGARY	QATAR
ITALY	ALBANIA	JORDAN
DENMARK	SLOVAKIA	TURKEY
ESTONIA	LATVIA	LITHUANIA
MACEDONIA	SLOVENIA	ALBANIA
CROATIA	ROMANIA	BULGARIA
goodnesswins

[Xthe17th]

What about other non-European countries? I recall hearing that Australia is with us. Thought I heard Japan was considering. We count on Bermuda since they're Brits. Others?

[McGavin999]

You missed a biggie, although if you're only counting the european states your list is correct. Australia is on our side.

[Diddle E. Squat]

You ignore Italy, Denmark, and England.

[JohnnyZ]

One would think New Zealand is following suit, no? What's ANZAC without the NZ? It's just AAC.

[demlosers]

But, but, I thought we were acting unilateraly??? [/end sarcasm]

We should have seen the last of that silly argument.

[LonghornFreeper]

Somehow I don't blame Serbia for not siding with us, considering that they were fighting their own Islamic terrorists, some now linked to Al-Qaida, and we decided it would be a good idea to bomb them. Now those same terrorists are plotting attacks on other European nations. I wish Bush would come right out and apoligize to the Serbians for what NATO did to them, and then pull our troops out of Kosovo. In our battle with Iraq, we are definately fighting the good fight, but in Kosovo in 1999 America fought on the side of evil.

[shezza]

New Europe ping!

[JohnnyZ]

Middle East For
Bahrain, Jordan?, Kuwait, Qatar (aka Gutter), Turkey, Israel, Djibouti?, Eritrea?

Middle East Against
Iraq, Syria

Middle East: What about . . .
Saudi Arabia ("what's everyone else doing?"), Yemen, Oman, U.A.E., Egypt, Iran (ready for another revolution?), Lebanon (who cares?)

Best of the Rest
Australia, Japan

Not so much/equivocating
Mexico, Canada, Russia, China

[Robert_Paulson2]

sorry to tell you:
Iraq, Germany, France and North Korea.... are the puppets...
they will NEVER get on board.

---

Russia and China?
... they are the puppet masters.
the cold war is NOT over, and we are in the "proxy wars" stage of the conflict.

When Russia and China finally and irreversibly fall to capitalism and FREEDOM of religion, personal liberty and the rights of individuals ot own and control their own property and destiny... THEN and only then, is the COLD WAR over.

---

I seriously doubt Russia and China are our friends. Russia and China are just trying to tap the open market economy to get the money they need to wipe their enemies "the hated Americans" out... once and for all.

What they failed to do in the cold war, they are trying to accomplish in a series of proxy wars and terrorist sock puppets acting against freedom worldwide

[AmericaUnited]

GOD BLESS THEM ALL!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

So what part of this does western Europe not understand?

[Forgiven_Sinner]

You can add Ireland, which would have supported us, had they been asked.

You can add Australia. Does anyone know if the Kiwi's are one board?

In the middle east, you can add Jordan, Kuwait, probably Qatar, Bahrain, and Yemen. India and Pakistan will also be on board. Going around the 'stans, Ukbekistan will support, as well as Afghanistan. Anyone know about Turkmenistan or Kazahkstan? Egypt seems to be leaning our way.

Anyone have any news on S. America? Central America?

I think Japan is on board, and probably S. Korea. Phillipines often sides with us, too. Singapore, anyone?

[NonValueAdded]

Even Albania can figure this out! (Barry Farber ping). Who better to spot Saddam for who he really is than those states recently freed from their oppressors.

[lawnguy]

There is a nice article in the Weekly Standard concerning Poland and it's very U.S. friendly policies. Much to the chagrin of "Old Europe"

I wish President Bush would submit a bill and demand repayment of the Marshall plan funds from the ungrateful Germans and French. I wish the President would schedule a high visibility visit to some European battlefields, and make some very somber speeches on behalf if all who fell. I think it would be appropriate to demand an apology also.

[cake_crumb]

Thank you Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Macedonia and Albania as well as Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic!

Thanks again Britain, Denmark, Italy, Portugal and Spain!

Germany and France...PFFFFFFUT!

[dfwgator]

Trust me, Poland will soon be under attack by the rest of Europe as they try to resist attempts to force her to become yet another multicultural European state full of Islamo-fascists.

[Grampa Dave]

Who wants the hub of the Axis of Whining Weasels of Eurotrash land.

We have the IA (Intelligent Allies), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Macedonia and Albania (all these countries end in IA).

$crew the hun$ and their french poodle.

[visitor]

right on!!! still have not figured out how dems justified supporting (not the troops, the decision) that atrocity, yet, once again and again and again... the dems and dems-witted are not rallying around the flag ...rto