LIVE THREAD: Blix Reports to the U.N. on Iraqi Compliance

http://freerepublic.com ^ | March 7, 2003

[Howlin]

Link to C-SPAN

As usual, please no HUGE graphics

[GOPrincess]

Great story about Bulgaria. King Simeon II was deposed as a child by the Communists, in the wake of WWII. (His uncle, acting Regent, was executed.) During decades of exile he was educated in many countries including the U.S. (the Valley Forge Academy). A few years ago he was able to finally return to Bulgaria and was elected Prime Minister, leading his country into a democratic era and a strong ally of the U.S.

[Carolinamom]

I turned off Rush. He's so behind FR and this thread!

[Red6]

Sick,

Maybe we should sell some spare parts to some of their African friends they are opposing right now?

But it should not come to a surprise that a air force with high tech machines has been supplied under the table. 12 years of embargo and their still flying? That would not be the case if the French had kept up the deal.

Maybe this whole fiasco is the best thing that could have happened. The Germans will very rapidly realize that going to bed with an ex/present colonial power that is a marginal economic and military power will not pay off. The French will use Germany as an engine for its own agenda. What is important here is that we no longer allow them to just hop over to our side when it pleases them. There must be consequences associated with the actions taken by a government.

I propose a three-step approach:

1. Pull US forces out of Germany. It is politically hostile towards our military and it is cost prohibitive to operate there.
2. Pull ALL 5,500 soldiers out of Bosnia and Kosovo!!!!! This is a European problem. Let them deal with it. Ultimately the Germans and French will be the ones paying the price there.
3. Readdress the long trade imbalance between our nations. Germany for years has been running a TRADE surplus with us. They have a highly restrictive market and access is controlled in the form of bureaucracy. It needs to be a 0 sum trade imbalance.


Germany is a nation that enjoys riding in the shadows. It is a nation that internally does not want to confront the problems of supporting a war. A good example here is the cold war where Germany was a NUCLEAR power (owned the Lance weapon and paid for nuclear warheads) yet these where controlled by the US forces. During conflict the German owned nukes, would be mounted on the German owned Lances, by the Germans and fired on the enemy by the Germans. Yet Germany was “AN ATOMIC FREE ZONE”, and it was the USA that got the tomato up against the head. It was the USA that had the pressure internal and external. Today things are not much different. Germany rides in the shadows, never wanting to confront the internal problems that will come with a more aggressive posture. Furthermore, this government would be done if they went that way anyway (Schroeder/Fisher could kiss it goodbye). So Germany the sponsor of the preemptive war against Serbia where Serbia imposed no direct threat to Germany is now against us (same chancellor and secretary of state today as when the crisis against Serbia was dealt with). Why? We called them out. They have to show their colors, and they don’t want too.

This brings me back to my three-step approach. I feel that if Germany just wants to benefit from NATO the UN and the US yet never wants to pay the price nor deal with the consequences, there comes a time where cutting them loose is less painful and more advantageous to us than dealing with them. By retiring our mission in Kosovo and Bosnia we would force them to deal with it! They would have no choice, and if they will not support us elsewhere, let them deal with that issue and pay the price. It is time for them to carry their own weight; instead they chose to stay on the sidelines, not because they can’t, not because we hold them down, but because they benefit from it. They pay less than ½ on defense per GDP compared to us, why not, NATO covers their defense and Serbia is a good example where the can use us when convenient for them. They never had to deal with the terrorism as we did. You say what about the RAF and all that terrorism in the 70s/80s? Well, whom were they targeting? Go the Rhein Main and look at the car bomb memorial. Ramstein, Berlin disco, Achila Loaro, Lockerbie….. Who was the target? We were. You see, it’s a lot more fun when you benefit from free trade, mutual defense but don’t do shit to make sure it’s possible. By being in the shadows Germany can avoid costs economically, reduce internal political conflict and be less of a target for terrorism. They have pushed it over the top. It is no longer a Win-Win situation, like it can be. It has become a Win-Loose situation where one side is exploiting the other.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Bulgaria - Stefan Tavrov:

 

Thanks German and Russian ambassodors.

 

"The update is a useful addition and confirms the conclusions we ourselves had arrived at upon reading (this) important document."

 

Thanks Dr. Blix, El Baradei.

 

"Iraq's attitude leaves something to be desired."

 

"The major objective (of 1441), the disarmament of Iraq has still not been achieved."

 

"More than thre months after the adoption of 1441 no significant breakthroughs regarding (quanities of chem, etc., weapons have been achieved."

 

"It is the threat of military force, even the very presense (of our forces that makes1441 at all useful)."

 

"We are convinced that the use of force is (last resort once all means of peace have been exhausted)."

 

Mentions the Spain, Us, UK resolution...says it is NOT incompatible with the French, German and Russian.

 

Both say inspections can't go on indefinitely. Both say the draft resolutions are an effective means to apply pressure.

 

"Bulgaria is prepared to support the draft resolution."

 

"Make Iraq understand that patience has it's limits."

 

"Unity in the council remains both an objective to be achieved...but also to achieve Iraq's disarmament....nothing can replace diplomacy."

 

"We must intensify dialogue (among members of the council)."

 

"Peace will only have a final chance through our regained unity."

 

[BureaucratusMaximus]

Bulgarian rep: the credibility(relevancy) of the UN is at stake.

[bert]

.....Let History record the demise of the UN.....

Amen

[RummyChick]

sheesh..lets just give him 6 months....72 hours would have been enough

[Smogger]

Munir Akram Pakistan Ambassador on now.

[Severa]

I'd be celebrating except for the fact my husband's out to sea on training exercises...

[Terriergal]

I remember trying to watch one that my peers were all raving about in high school ... I honestly gave it a try to find out what all the fuss was about. And of course my older sisters both used to watch them like it was going out of style, so I caught moments of those. (they would always preempt my watching Wild Kingdom and the like by sheer brute force since I was the youngest...) I just couldn't employ suspension of disbelief enough to get into soaps. How can people actually act like that and function in society without committing suicide or homicide (or both)?

Sad to grow up and find there ARE people like that out there. WAY too many.

[GOPrincess]

The former Eastern bloc countries know better than anyone what is at stake here...

[BCrago66]

Looks like Pakistan is on board...

"If war is to be avoided and a peaceful solusion realized...Iraq must extend active immediate and unconditional cooperation."

[Endeavor]

Why are the Brits the ones offering a date for Saddam???

[valleygal]

They are talking on FOX again now about Saddam outfitting his paramilitary troops with US/UK lookalike uniforms and killing his own people and blaming the west.

We need to pray that this will not happen. This man is EVIL!

[Otta B Sleepin]

Colin Powell to speak to reporters outside UN very soon.

[PhiKapMom]

Outstanding post -- your #1483

I couldn't agree with you more!

Secretary Powell about to speak after the twerp from Mexico is finished speaking!

[Terriergal]

The new amendment by the Brits give Iraq until March 17th to come clean or it's war

Too bloody long.

[Terriergal]

The new amendment by the Brits give Iraq until March 17th to come clean or it's war

Why the HE** do they need another deadline???

[hchutch]

Only Pakistani forces?

Hope we're getting folks there ASAP...

[RummyChick]

it could also put fear into anyone wanting to surrender because they won't know if it is a real US person or a fake one..assuming the saddam has some people that look western