"Zo, do I haf a job or not?"
Posted on 03/16/2003 1:01:25 PM PST by GeneD
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said on Sunday the U.S.-British-Spanish summit on Iraq seemed to end with a divided message.
Blix told Swedish public service SVT2 television he did not rule out visiting Baghdad but also that the U.N. was prepared to evacuate the weapons inspectors at short notice.
"I find the message from there slightly divided. On the one hand (U.S.) President Bush seems to be talking mainly about how to liberate Iraq and make sure they have no weapons left there while (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair and (Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria) Aznar on the other hand are giving more weight to having a last chance to unite the world and give (Iraqi leader) Saddam (Hussein) an ultimatum," Blix said.
Bush said at the summit in the Azores that Monday would be the last day for diplomatic efforts to peacefully disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the last day a U.S.-backed resolution to authorize war could be voted on at the U.N. Security Council.
"Tomorrow's the day that we will determine whether or not diplomacy can work," Bush told a news conference on Sunday joined by the leaders of Britain, Spain and Portugal.
Aznar and Blair said one final round of diplomatic contacts would be made in a last-ditch effort to win agreement on an ultimatum for Saddam that would authorize war.
Blix said such an ultimatum appeared to require that the Iraqi leader would show within a certain number of days that he was moving toward genuine disarmament.
"If he doesn't, then each and everyone on the Security Council would have the right and the possibility to engage in an armed intervention without consulting the Council, and it is clear that it would then be the United States," Blix said.
Blix said he thought there was still time available for Britain, Spain and the United States to try and sway dissenting nations on the Security Council like France, Germany and Russia to form a united front, but that military action was imminent.
"It has been imminent for quite a while now and...it appears to me that efforts are still under way to unite the Security Council, to unite the French, the Germans and the Russians with the Britons and the Americans so I think there is a still bit of time left."
Blix refused to rule out accepting an invitation from Iraq to travel to Baghdad, but said Iraq would have to show better progress and explain the need for the trip.
"We need to have more information about the purpose...we want to know that the Iraqis are ready to take some significant steps forward," he said.
Shortly after the summit, Saddam displayed fresh defiance, saying Iraq would fight "anywhere in the world" if the United States invaded.
"Zo, do I haf a job or not?"
Did I miss something?
At best he is clueless. At worst he is a compromised liar.
Without question, he is worthless.
Not Jack Straw, mind you.
Regards, Ivan
Ivan, your guy was DA MAN today!
Regards, Ivan
All I heard is even louder bluster from Sadman. Usually, when dealing with Arabs, that equals "Please don't kill me." We know what happened last time someone begged Dubya that way....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.