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;

[ewing]

Way to go New Europe!

[VaBthang4]

Outstanding.

"The clear and present danger posed by the Saddam Hussein regime requires a united response from the community of democracies,"

A slap at China?

Anyway, good stuff.

Old Europe/New Europe

[dfwgator]

I say it's time for "Warsaw Pact II." I say we pull out of NATO and instead join with the Eastern European countries.

[Liberal Bob]

Collation the willing.

[Mo1]

Maybe they should have a talk with France ..

[marshmallow]

One of the few real delights of living through the latter part of the 20th century has been watching our former enemies, the communist countries, renounce their godless ways and become "born again", so to speak. The newly free and unashamedly Christian east, is the real wild-card in the war on terrorism.

On the other hand, our former allies, hell bent on forming a socialist super state, have gradually slipped into godless humanism, error and moral depravity.

We need to be most careful that we don't imitate them.

[nutmeg]

Way to go New Europe!

Yes! You took the words out of my... keyboard!

[WashingtonCollegeofLaw]

"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."

Damn our unilaterialist/imperialist ways!!!!!! We all know the only reason we supported East Europe was to get their oil. Er...wait... did we actually do something good? No. And if Yes, it was obviously due to the compassion of Clinton rather than Reagan. /sarcasm

[Abram]

These nations have experienced and know what tyranny is all about. I admire their willingness to stand behind their beneficators...the U.S. Admirable...but don't turn your backs on them...for now.

[Liberal Classic]

Interesting how some of the former Soviet bloc nations are more supportive of us than long time friends such as France. Wonder why, a bit. Maybe they lived under the thumb so long that they know it when they see it.

[dfwgator]

There's a lesson to be learned here. We poured billions of US taxpayer dollars into the Marshall Plan, and the Eastern European countries didn't get a dime of it. Yet, who stands behind us today?

[JohnnyZ]

Vilnius 10
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Macedonia and Albania

7 In Favor
Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Britain, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Spain

Opposed
France, Germany, ???

Uncommitted
Norway, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland (in favor, generally), Greece, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Serbia (ha!), Bosnia, Iceland

Midgets
San Marino, Leichtenstein, Luxembourg, Andorra

Anybody missing? Besides Turkey? And the Vatican?

[Xthe17th]

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

Well, that's 18 of us if my math is correct. Anybody know if the rest of the UK and/or any of Scandinavia is on board? Is Sweden with Blix, uh, er, is Blix with US?

By all means, please feel free to add to this list. Gracias amigos.

[visitor]

Colin Powell... connected all the dots, demonstrated how diplomacy has failed, showed satellite images (photo-recon from space rivals 1962 U2's photos and even some of those I took;) and transcripts (with audio) of wireless communications (sure would not want to be those Iraqi officers) and in uninterrupted 90 minutes on c-span (to be rebroadcast tonight at 8), he linked the osama-terrorists and other middle-east terrorists with saddam, raised my estimation of his dedication to our country's defense and his capabilities as a leader worthy of our deepest respect! sure hope we do not wait for the smoking eye-witness last words ...rto

[Democratshavenobrains]

This should certainly come as news to the Lefties who say that Reagan had nothing to do with ending the Cold War.

[Liberal Classic]

Food for thought, that. Thanks.

[leadpenny]

If the 1st Armored Division and the 1st Infantry Division have been deployed to the Gulf, when they return, they should not return to Germany. They should be permanently based in one of the Eastern European countries.

[Wallace T.]

The Franco-German bloc has been outflanked. Almost all of the old Warsaw Pact nations and the Baltic states have, at least verbally, come out on the Allied side, with the most advanced nations, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, making small commitments of their troops. Ditto for ex-Yugoslavia, except for Serbia, Russia's ancient ally. Three of the four "corners" of the old NATO alliance, Britain, Italy, and Spain/Portugal, are also active on the Allied side. Let's also not forget that Japan is siding with the Allies.

France and Germany, and Canada as well, have been isolated in their weak-kneed position toward Iraq, at least among the Western democracies. They had better either come on board or stay out of the way.

[ExpandNATO]

Interesting how some of the former Soviet bloc nations are more supportive of us than long time friends such as France. Wonder why, a bit. Maybe they lived under the thumb so long that they know it when they see it.

The former Soviet bloc wants protection from Russia, should it ever turn imperial again (from a resurgence of communism or ultra-nationalism or whatever). They certainly have a vested interest in a United States that is able to acknowledge the facts and act on them even in defiance of the UN (consider the fact that Russia has a veto on the Security Council).