UN plan to give Saddam 72 hours to leave Baghdad

Sunday Herald ^ | 3/8/03

[areafiftyone]

SADDAM Hussein and his family are to be given 72 hours on Tuesday to accept an offer of exile, while 50 of Iraq's top military brass will be offered an amnesty in return for full co-operation with the United Nations in a secret plan to be tabled at its New York headquarters. The highly sensitive proposal was tabled by Pakistan during a closed-door meeting of the 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council on Friday and was brokered by Saudi Arabia, the Vatican and moderate Arab states. Failure by Saddam to agree to the plan would clear the way for war.

If the proposal, understood to be in the form of a short paragraph, becomes part of a second resolution and is adopted by the Security Council, the UN would oversee the establishment of a post-Saddam government and the UN, not the US, would take stewardship of Iraq's oilfields.

The Iraqi generals and top ranking officers would have to co-operate fully with UN inspectors to oversee the total elimination of any weapons of mass destruction.

Pope John Paul II has dispatched his emissaries to meet all the key parties during the past two weeks. His special envoy and per manent observer at the UN, Archbishop Renato Rafaele Martino, has been discussing the proposal with all the Security Council members.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Pio Laghi, a former Papal Nuncio, met with President George W Bush, while Cardinal Angelo Sodano has met with Tony Blair. Cardinal Roger Etchegaray met with Saddam in Baghdad and discussed the subject of exile, which he said Saddam did not rule out.

American sources have confirmed that the US and Jordan have recently discussed the prospect of using the UN to offer a formal exile and amnesty package to Saddam and his inner circle.

Last month, Saddam rejected informal pleas to choose exile over war. But the US is aware that one of the attractions of an amendment that extends the offer to his family and military leaders is the likelihood it may trigger a coup, leading to his assassination by a member of his inner circle.

It is thought that Saddam's sons, Uday and Qusay, would push for a safe passage out rather than face a cataclysmic end in a Baghdad bunker. 'Uday might be the first to shoot his father if he refused an amnesty,' one senior Jordan official is quoted as saying.

The proposed amendment is still at a low rung on the UN procedural ladder but the non-permanent members believe it represents a last best chance to avert a war. But, from the Security Council's point of view, it offers a compromise that would allow its members to unite and vote for a second resolution.

UN sources have also indicated that a second resolution on Tuesday with the March 17 ultimatum -- incorporating an offer of exile -- would provide an attractive compromise that would let the French to come on board without 'losing face' or appearing to have capitulated to the US.

[areafiftyone]

I don't know how reliable this source is.

[kcvl]

bttt

[NordP]

Can we pretend we are ALL dyslexic and say 27 hours????

[Scott from the Left Coast]

If France gets all pissy about 10 days, why would they accept 72 hours?

Saddam isn't going anywhere. He's dead anywhere in the world except where is right now. And that may not hold for a whole lot longer either.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Interesting offer. I doubt Saddam would take it, but even if he does, the Liberation of Iraq will not be because some third world cabal "offered" it to the Dictator, it'll be because one man--George W. Bush--stood and faced evil square in the eye.

[JusPasenThru]

The sublimest act of war is to subdue the enemy without actually resorting to combat -- SunTsu.

[SuziQ]

'Uday might be the first to shoot his father if he refused an amnesty

As the saying goes, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree".

[Oldeconomybuyer]

A UN-brokered sanctuary for a brutal dictator who murdered tens of thousands of innocent civilians and operates torture chambers for citizens who disagree with his regime sounds about right for the UN.

[Eva]

France could support this proposal because it would protect their interests in Iraq and possibly preclude the exposure of France' complicity with Saddam. Also,this proposal prevents the US from appearing totally victorious.

[FRgal4u]

if this works, and saddam go on exile, and indeed the un can help the post-saddam iraq...then the un will prolly score the biggest victory ever...

but then again, dont hold your breath...

[ET(end tyranny)]

It is thought that Saddam's sons, Uday and Qusay, would push for a safe passage out rather than face a cataclysmic end in a Baghdad bunker. 'Uday might be the first to shoot his father if he refused an amnesty,' one senior Jordan official is quoted as saying.

Sounds like something from a Springer show.

[ET(end tyranny)]

If France gets all pissy about 10 days, why would they accept 72 hours?

Because the first refers to war and the second to exile.

[RobFromGa]

I hope this is crap, I expect this is crap.

[Dog Gone]

the UN would oversee the establishment of a post-Saddam government and the UN, not the US, would take stewardship of Iraq's oilfields.

Sure, throw it in. Saddam won't take it, and such a result would be an unmitigated disaster, but if it makes the UN vote for a force resolution, so be it.

[ET(end tyranny)]

if this works, and saddam go on exile, and indeed the un can help the post-saddam iraq...then the un will prolly score the biggest victory ever...

They can try and take credit, but we'll KNOW as someone above said, that it came about because of President Bush.

This would actually be kind of good if Sadamn accepts. We can then focus on N.K.

[areafiftyone]

So do I. Didn't they offer Saddam exile already? How many times are they going to offer it to him? He doesn't want it!

[Amerigomag]

The closer we get to March 17, the wackier the stories comming out of the British press will become.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Pretty good, don't ya think? Sa-damn asks for the sanctions to be lifted, and instead is given a 72 hour deadline to go into exile!! lol

[illumini]

Do you think the UN will FORCE the US regarding this matter? -Not I.

[Howlin]

the UN would oversee the establishment of a post-Saddam government and the UN, not the US, would take stewardship of Iraq's oilfields.

Desperate, aren't they?

BTW, did anybody ask them why, if Saddam is cooperating and disarming, this is necessary?