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.

[Atchafalaya]

If this is true, France et al blinked. They do not want us in there finding all of their invoices.

[TSgt]

Saddam escaping Iraq via a disguise...

[Howlin]

Saddam knows if he leaves he's a dead man.

[calljack]

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.
They just don't get it.

[marajade]

What I don't get is why would Pakistan table it? I thought they were our friend?

[way-right-of-center]

Anyone but me get the impression the UN is thinking that they are gonna be left holding the bag after the US goes in without them, and now they are scrambling to grab whatever they can? "The UN Controlling the Oil Fields" etc, instead of the Iraqi people controlling their own oil.

I'm thinking that the UN is worried that they might not be viewed in the best light ( wonder why ?) by the recently liberated people of Iraq. Hmm...wonder who the people of Iraq would be more inclined to sell their oil to, those who freed them, or those who conspired against them?

By the way, I'm not arguing this is a "war for oil" just a byproduct of liberation. Any comments?

[Howlin]

I have lost all track of who is what and with who.

All I know is that they are in a full panic and trying like hell to stop what needs to be done.

They are going to kill us all.

[CurlyDave]

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

This allows the UN to emerge victorious, prevents the US from taking a physical inventory of just what is in Iraq, and gives the UN a stream of income from the oil.

Sounds to me like the US has provided the courage, the leadership, and the troups, and at the last second the UN wants to come in and defeat us.

[Mike Darancette]

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

Ummm, couldn't the US just veto this part?

Bush to UN: Kick us out!

[marajade]

The Beltway Boys reported tonite that Pakistan was leaning our way in the upcoming vote...

If that's true, this article might not be accurate...

[spodefly]

There is a disconnect between the talk of Saddam murdering and torturing thousands of his citizens, and the talk of his peaceful passage into exile. Would we really let someone so vile happily live out the rest of their lives in some palace bought with the blood money of thousands of innocent torture victims?

[GraniteStateConservative]

Bush fully supports exile of Hussein. If Hussein and other psychos from his family and Baath Party aren't ruling Iraq, it's a win for Bush.

[Paraclete]

The next couple of weeks are going to be wild. Look for all kinds of deals and jockeying as Saddam tries to save his neck. It's going to be nerve-racking until we pull the trigger.

[Dog Gone]

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

Howlin, we're talking about the UN here, so there's no reason to start using logic. ;-)

[GraniteStateConservative]

We've allowed ruthless dictators to leave power before. We'll let Hussein do so.

[Howlin]

I agree 100 percent.

[dighton]

Meet the least photogenic staff on earth.

[Howlin]

My point is HE will not leave.

[arkady_renko]

I don't know how reliable this source is.

Ivan, if you're out there - what say ye?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Anyone but me get the impression the UN is thinking that they are gonna be left holding the bag after the US goes in without them, and now they are scrambling to grab whatever they can? "The UN Controlling the Oil Fields" etc, instead of the Iraqi people controlling their own oil.

Doesn't the UN control the funds from the Iraqi oil fields now? Maybe it is time for an audit.