U.S. Delays Iraq UN Vote, France, Russia to Veto

Reuters ^ | 3/10/03 | Alan Elsner

[Jean S]

With President Bush (news - web sites) anxious to resolve the U.N. standoff quickly and with 300,000 troops poised to invade Iraq, the United States was forced to accept a delay in its diplomatic timetable due to lack of support at the U.N.

Security Council consultations on Monday were overshadowed by a bombshell from Paris, when French President Jacques Chirac made it clear he was prepared to go to the limit in his diplomatic confrontation with Bush to prevent the U.N. from authorizing an attack on Iraq.

"France will vote 'no' because she considers tonight that there is no reason to wage a war to reach the goal we set ourselves, that is the disarmament of Iraq," Chirac said in a television interview.

"When one of the five permanent members votes 'no', even if there is a majority, the resolution is not adopted," he added.

Russia said on Monday it would also veto the resolution, although the comments by Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov seemed directed at the present wording of the draft, which Britain said on Monday may be modified.

Bush has said he was ready to launch a war against Iraq to remove Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) with or without United Nations backing. But the political costs to Bush, and especially to British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites), of going to war without U.N. authorization, were mounting.

The United States had hoped to line up at least nine votes in the 15-member Security Council so it could at least claim some moral legitimacy for its ultimatum even if the resolution was killed by a veto.

U.S. STILL WITH ONLY 4 VOTES

But U.S. diplomats made no public headway on Monday and Washington was left with only four sure votes -- those of Britain, Spain and Bulgaria as well as its own.

France, Russia, China, Germany and Syria are definitely opposed. Pakistan, Chile, Mexico, Angola, Cameroon and Guinea remained uncommitted and were floating compromises that gave Iraq more time to comply.

Britain's U.N. ambassador, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, told reporters: "I do not expect in the circumstances we find ourselves in just now that there would be a vote on our draft resolution within the next 24 hours."

France, Russia and China, each of which have Security Council veto power, had all previously expressed opposition to war and but none had made it so absolutely clear they were ready to wield their veto power.

Chirac said he believed Russia and China would both join France in vetoing the resolution.

A senior U.S. official reacted coolly to Chirac's pledge. "We're under no illusions about France," said the official, who asked not to be named.

The resolution would set March 17 for Iraq to satisfy all Security Council resolutions that it was fully cooperating with disarmament demands. Opponents said the text amounted to a blank check for Washington to wage war.

Diplomats said the longer the vote was delayed, the more unreasonable the March 17 deadline would appear.

POLITICAL PAIN FOR BLAIR

The political cost of his strong support for Bush was mounting for Blair, who faced an outright revolt in his Labor Party. A strong anti-war movement has sprung up all over the world and even in the United States support for the war seems lukewarm. One new poll released Monday said support for war without U.N. backing was 49 percent with 47 percent opposed.

Blair's International Development Secretary, Clare Short, threatened to resign if Britain went to war without U.N. backing. A recent poll showed that only 15 percent of Britons would back war without a U.N. mandate.

Britain said it was considering modifying the U.N. draft to add a timetable of key tests on disarmament which Iraq must comply with by March 17. A British spokesman said the deadline might also be extended -- but not by much.

Bush has been working the phones to foreign leaders. Chinese President Jiang Zemin (news - web sites) urged Bush to resolve the Iraqi crisis peacefully and to let inspections continue, China's official Xinhua news agency said.

Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) met the foreign minister of Guinea, Francois Ousseynou Fall, and called top officials in Angola, Mexico and Pakistan.

Meanwhile French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin embarked on a whistle-stop tour around Africa, lobbying three Security Council members for votes, Angola, Cameroon and Ginea.

In The Hague (news - web sites), U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) warned that if military action were taken without the authority of the Security Council, "the legitimacy and support for any such action would be seriously impaired."

In Iraq, authorities said they had begun destroying six more prohibited al-Samoud 2 missiles on Monday, after scrapping more than 40 in recent days.

But Washington was playing up the discovery by U.N. inspectors of an undeclared Iraqi drone that it said could threaten Iraq's neighbors with chemical and biological weapons and might exceed legal range limits.

The inspectors' report, however, said further investigation was required to establish whether any drone Iraq has exceeded the 92.6-mile limit set by the U.N. Security Council resolutions.

[finnman69]

Bush already has the 15-0 UN vote. Time to cash that in and get moving.

[ConservativeConvert]

This venture is on the verge of collapse. Don't be surprised if it never takes place...

[TLBSHOW]

Mr. President get the United States out of the UN or admit this is all about making the UN even stronger.

Forget the vote and protect America! Liberate Iraq...

[11B3]

In The Hague (news - web sites), U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) warned that if military action were taken without the authority of the Security Council, "the legitimacy and support for any such action would be seriously impaired."

I think he's got that backwards.

[Mr.Clark]

While I too am disapointed by this continuing delay, there is no way this war isn't going to happen. Unless W and Rove just decide to pack it in after one term.

[cmsgop]

Don't worry, it will take place....

[Cyber Liberty]

Reuters

'Nuff Said.

[WOSG]

This venture is on the verge of collapse.

--
Those who never wanted Saddam to be removed are now saying they dont want him removed. In truth, nothing has changed in all these months. THe only thing left to do is to use force to remove saddam hussein.

[Kerberos]

Looks like the UN is calling our hand.

[Carry_Okie]

Fire Colin Powell.

His loyalties have always been to Global Governance in antipathy to the Constitution.

[Numbers Guy]

Looks like the UN is calling our hand.

Which means Damn the Torpedoes . . .

[L,TOWM]

That can ba a Big Problem when the hand you're calling is a Royal Flush.

Guess Kofi & Krew did'nt play too much poker at college did they?

[Indy Pendance]

What a load of tripe. The headline is totally misleading. Boy, the liberal press are really pushing it today.

[whadizit]

Delays have only allowed Iraq to plant explosives in oil wells, arm military with chemicals, etc., and make more sinister war plans. All these delays have ONLY PUT OUR MILITARY IN A FAR MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION!!

GW and Powell have handled this the stupidest way possible!!

[swheats]

We're still moving ahead. US took out 5 underground communication sites:

Western Jets Attack Iraqi Communications Sites

[madison46]

I'd say Bush is doing a crappy job if this goes the rest of this week. France should have all imports heavily taxed and be permenantly shut out of Iraq. Anywhere else we can shut them out, we should. US should hold the vote, get the veto, and go that day. )(#&%)_#&%#$(&%#$%&*(_%*&$)@%$@&(

[Grampa Dave]

I think that this is about # 13 re the Reuters Bravo Sierra Articles posted just today.

This BS posing as a news article, is typical of the BS from Reuters since 9/11/2001.

Reuters is not able to print the truth when it comes to Islamofacist/kazi terrorism and the thugs in control of Iraq.

Reuters is controlled by an rich Opecker Prince who will not allow the words terrorism or terrorist to be used in any article where the Islamofacists/kazis are responsible.

The pure bull $ that Reuters has printed since New Years to save their Uncle Soddomite's rear end is massive and like a continuing wet dream by Reuters with little if any basis on reality! This wet dream posing as a news article is a prime example of the BS Reuters puts out posing as news.

This meter should be run with the posting of any Reuters article. Reuters makes the NY Slimes look all most honest.

Meanwhile, Reuters is taking a beating in the business world. Recently, Reuters reported a loss of $631 million, the largest in its 150-year history. In addition, Reuters announced 3,000 job cuts, along with the 3,200 jobs cut over the past two years. Reuters' market capitalization has plunged by almost 90 percent from its peak, and Reuters' stock has fallen to a 14-year low. (Reuters posts record loss, to cut jobs News provider to cut 3,000 workers as part of turnaround plan , Link to how the Reuters lies and BS hits Reuters's bottom line)

Apparently Reuters' dwindling credibility as a media provider is now affecting their bottom line. May Reuters go broke and slide into the Irrelevant Cesspool!

If anyone gets upset about anything published by Reuters, they need some professional help!

[P.O.E.]

Pass the fork. The UN is done.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

...BUSH Doctrine =

...Bringing DEMOCRACY to the Common Man everywhere is everyone's Answer