Military

DATE=02/25/2002

TYPE=EDITORIAL

NUMBER=0-09726

TITLE=EDITORIAL: SADDAM HUSSEIN

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=THIS EDITORIAL IS BEING RELEASED FOR USE BY ALL SERVICES

Anncr: Next, an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government:

Voice: U.S. friends and allies in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East have been, as Secretary of State Colin Powell put it, "solid partners in the campaign against terrorism."

These countries are helping the American-led coalition by investigating the financial networks used by terrorist groups. They are helping in other ways as well. To cite one example, Jordan has set up a field hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, which is providing medical care to thousands of Afghans.

But not all the countries in the Middle East are supporting the global war against terrorism. As Secretary of State Powell said, "Iraq is continuing to develop weapons of mass destruction that they will use against their neighbors." Iraq used such weapons against Iran during their war in the nineteen-eighties. The weapons could also be made available to terrorists. That's why President George W. Bush said Iraq is part of an "axis of evil" that also includes Iran and North Korea. Saddam Hussein, Iraq's dictatorial leader, has even used chemical weapons against his own people.

Saddam Hussein refuses to allow United Nations weapons inspectors into his country. That's contrary to the agreement Iraq accepted when it lost the 1991 Gulf War following its invasion of Kuwait. So long as the Iraqi regime refuses to fulfill its obligations, sanctions will remain in effect. But the U-N has ensured that Iraq is receiving more than enough money through the U-N Oil-for-Food program to take care of the Iraqi people. The problem is that Saddam Hussein would rather divert the money to fund weapons of mass destruction.

"We're not looking for wars," said Secretary of State Powell. "We are looking for people to make the right choices, to bring a sense of comfort into the lives of their people, to bring security into the lives of people."

Saddam Hussein will find out the consequences of his actions. As President Bush said, if countries like Iraq "develop weapons of mass destruction that will be used to terrorize nations, they will be held accountable."

Anncr: That was an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20237, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-ibb-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043.