Iraq: We have no more to declare

Independent ^ | 3/03/03 | Kim Sengupta, in Baghdad

[kattracks]

Iraq said yesterday that it had nothing more to declare to the UN on its weapons programme and warned that it might stop the destruction of its al-Samoud 2 missiles if America continued to threaten it with war.

Lieutenant-General Amer al-Saadi, the chief weapons adviser to Saddam Hussein, accused George Bush and Tony Blair of trying to engineer "a war driven by greed".

General Saadi said Baghdad might cease scrapping the missiles if it believed Washington was going to ignore the UN Security Council. "If it turns out at an early stage during this month that America is not going to behave in a legal way, why should we continue?" he said.

Iraq has destroyed 10 missiles in two days. But stopping the process will almost certainly be seen by America and Britain as a "material breach" of UN resolutions, and provide the trigger for an invasion.

The claim that Iraq has fulfilled all its UN obligations is also likely to be used by Washington and London as evidence that President Saddam is not prepared to "fully disarm".

General Saadi said: "Practically all the areas of concern to Unmovic [the UN inspection team] and the subjects of remaining disarmament questions have been addressed."

[Straight Vermonter]

Not long ago everyone was waiting for the "smoking gun" showing that Iraq had illegal weapons. Since then the Al Samoud missiles have been found. A buried cache of loaded Bio/Chem artillery shells have been found. Records of an ongoing nuclear program have been found.

Is the world waiting for a smoking gun or a bullet to the head?

[CatoRenasci]

Bad move on Iraq's part. Nobody can think this will fly. They must finally have realized we're serious.

[TheBattman]

In other words - We have thrown the UN all the bones we are going to, the rest of our stuff we will just keep for ourselves. You should be satisfied with the tidbits we gave you - now go away and leave us alone you imperialist satans."

[smith288]

Is the world waiting for a smoking gun or a bullet to the head?

You just need to go in the corner and shut up.... says France, Germany, Belgium and the UN....

[Beck_isright]

No problem. We have 210,000 inspectors ready to help remind you where everything else is hidden and they will be coming to Baghdad soon.

[concerned about politics]

. "If it turns out at an early stage during this month that America is not going to behave in a legal way, why should we continue?" he said.

Yeh, riiiiight. They break the terms of surrender, and they call us crooks? Sounds like Saddam has learned his liberalism lessons well.
The reason they should act according to their agreement is that we'll have to kill them before they kill us with their WMD they refuse to destroy. Good enough reason?

[ChadGore]

I raq is in no position to dictate anything to anyone. They are a defeated agressor under terms to dissarm.

[Cyber Liberty]

Sounds right. We saw "retreat" this weekend, and now it's time for "cheat".

[Toirdhealbheach Beucail]

Well technically, a bullet to the head involves a smoking gun....

[L,TOWM]

I think its time we finally faced facts and admitted that we are'nt going to war with Iraq for the next few months.

Bush's decision to follow Colin Powell to the UN cost him a 2nd term. This should have been done by 1/1/03. For Bush to assume that he would get a GOP majority in the senate, and UNSC co-operation was (so far) his largest blunder.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

It depends on the definition of "more" he learned well from watching Clinton let him build up in 8 years.

[L,TOWM]

we are'nt going to war with Iraq for the next few months

Sorry, should read "next few years".

Not until we trace an anthrax, smallpox, or nerve gas attack back to them...

[Beck_isright]

We'll be at war within 2 weeks. We would have been yesterday if Turkey had voted to allow us to base there. Now it's going to take a week to swing those troops around the horn and get them in place. Bush will not lose because of this war, he'll lose because the economy will continue to worsen.

[cajungirl]

Hope you are wrong,,otherwise we have a load of troops, coiled, waiting to go.

[anniegetyourgun]

"...why should we continue?" he said."

Because you said you would? Iraqi's keeping their word....right....that's a laugh. And about the bio/chem stuff they found...the stuff you said you didn't have....

[Enduring Freedom]

Get used to saying President Bush.

He will prevail until 2008, after which another Conservative, hopefully Jeb, will continue the tradition of honor and decency that defines the Bush family.

However, Powell will be marginalized as the Bush family learns that he has been the weakest link all along.

Submitting America's defense to the United Nations and the unholy French veto is ridiculous, and Powell hasn't delivered on a single promise via political channels.

That is, Powell is a dim-witted fool who has led Bush astray. Bush will get this right by following Wolf and Rummy.

The net result of the recent turmoil will be that Bush wins re-election easily, the United Nations is outed as a political paper tiger and ignored hence, and Powell will be doing public service announcements for Aids in Africa.

[Thermalseeker]

Sorry, should read "next few years".

I disagree. You don't move 250,000 troops and 6 carrier battle groups, many of whom are reservists, into position to just give up and go home. You don't let them sit there indefinately either. Isn't going to happen that way. We are less than 10 days away from removing Saddam. Had it not been for Turkey waffling we'd have been on our way to Baghdad this morning. (new moon)

[BulletBobCo]

FYI..The sun is now starting to set in Iraq.

[COBOL2Java]

Is the world waiting for a smoking gun or a bullet to the head?

The French, Germans, and the Russians are waiting for a smoking hole.