Straw gives ultimatum to Saddam (UK TO SADDAM: GAME'S UP)

The Daily Telegraph ^ | September 19, 2002 | The Daily Telegraph

[MadIvan]

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, has warned Iraq that it must readmit weapons inspectors or face the consequences of military action.

Mr Straw, speaking outside the Foreign Office, said that he and Prime Minister Tony Blair were holding "intensive discussions" with members of the United Nations Security Council following Iraq's offer to allow weapons inspectors back into the country.

Mr Straw, who is due to meet Mexico's foreign minister later today, said that unless Iraq complied fully with the "spirit as well as the letter" of United Nations resolutions, then military action will have to follow to deal with the threat he has posed to the world for the last 11 years.

He said:"As the Prime Minister and I have both made clear, Iraq only made their so-called offer in respect of weapons inspectors as the result of intensive pressure by the international community and the pressure of military action if they failed to respond.

"But what is crucial is that the international community, through the Security Council, makes it clear to Iraq that these inspections have to be without condition, without delay and without games and, to secure that, we are currently in intensive discussions with our partners in the Security Council."

The Foreign Secretary denied that Britain and the United States' "momentum" for military action had been lost this week following Iraq's offer, claiming the international community believed that Iraq would make an offer "in their terms" in the end.

"But what I would point out is that the same government that wrote this letter three days ago offering to unconditionally readmit inspectors is exactly the same government which, four days before that, said it would never admit inspectors unconditionally. We have seen this before."

Mr Straw said it was now for the Security Council to draft new resolutions which would "deal with the central threat posed by Iraq, namely their possession and potential use of weapons of mass destruction."

The Cabinet minister refused to go into details of the drafting of resolutions, but said they must "give full authority to the weapons inspectors who have to go back in there and refresh that authority.

A bid to bring Tony Blair in front of a Commons committee to be questioned over Iraq has failed.

But Mr Blair was said to be considering a private session with the chairs of the Commons foreign affairs, defence, intelligence and home affairs committees.

Labour backbencher Tony Wright had asked for Mr Blair's next public session with the MPs Liaison Committee to be brought forward from its scheduled date in January to discuss the crisis over Iraq.

[MadIvan]

With you at the first, with you to the last.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[Dog Gone]

Jack Straw must have been given his marching orders. This is exactly right.

Most of the time, Straw spouts total garbage.

[MadIvan]

Most of the time, Straw spouts total garbage.

Well remember, he said this right after meeting with Blair. I tend to think Blair said something like, "So, you like your job, Jack?" ;)

Regards, Ivan

[smith288]

With us, you are.

[TonyInOhio]

I didn't know Straw had it in him - or is he reflecting Blair's intestinal fortitude?

Thanks, as always, for the ping.


Tony

[Balata]

Thanks for the post and support!

[Dog Gone]

That's the way I see it, too.

In any event, this is terrific. It means that the US and Britain are taking the exact same diplomatic stance toward Iraq and the inspections. This is critical in forming a UN resolution which will give the two countries (and anyone else who'd like to help, ha ha) UN permission to disarm Iraq by force.

It's not that we need the permission, but it is extremely helpful because it gives other weak-kneed countries the diplomatic cover to offer logistical assistance.

[egarvue]

Wow, Blair is really cracking the whip on his people. Headline should read

"Jack Straw Reaches Down and Discovers He Has A Pair".

[Mo1]

Wow .. Jack Straw seems to be changing his tune

[McGruff]

We remember who are friends are
and we remember those who are not.

[My2Cents]

That's beautiful, man. Good work.

[Grampa Dave]

What happened was that Tony let Jack see some of the package that Tony will reveal next week.

Unless you are suicidal, hate your family, friends and country, you will be scared and say enough is enough. It is time to remove from earth the Islamo Fascists in Iraq from Saddam, to his sons and on down.

[Grampa Dave]

This is really great.

[Teacup]

Beautiful!

[MadIvan]

It is a nice work of art. Sometimes I feel like the only nations that are sane speak English. We really do have to stick together.

Regards, Ivan

[BibleBaseballBarbecue]

It's certainly true that the only nations that are sane were once ruled by the English. The Empire was a great good.

[RobFromGa]

Many thanks, Great Britain. Onward, civilization.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Not to throw cold water on this, but if "inspectors" are the issue, then it's in the U.N.'s court and we'll be debating it until kingdom come with no accompanying action.

The "inspectors" issue is a red herring. It is ripe for gamesmanship, and even if not, "inspectors" will take many months or even years to find anything, given where it is likely to hidden and moved. And "inspectors" merely means that Sadaam lives on to rule Iraq and play his games throughout the Middle East.

"Inspectors" is not the issue, the destruction of Sadaam's regime is the issue. If this is allowed to be moved into the U.N. forum, Sadaam will never be eliminated, never be overthrown.

The U.N. has now stated the case: It is irrelevant. The sooner Britain and the U.S. move this out of the U.N.'s purview the sooner a solution will be at hand.

[MadIvan]

Not to throw cold water on this, but if "inspectors" are the issue, then it's in the U.N.'s court and we'll be debating it until kingdom come with no accompanying action.

Selling a war in a democracy is a lot harder than in a totalitarian state. I believe this is part of the salesmanship. Bush and Blair gave the UN one last chance. It blew it. They can go back to the Democrats and the Labour Party and shrug and say, "Sorry, we did use the UN, and they turned out to be totally useless." And thus dealing with Saddam is sold to a wider audience than it would be otherwise.

No it's not particularly brave, nor straightforward. But it is working.

Regards, Ivan