Military

SHAPE News Morning Update

7 February 203

NATO

• NATO, still reeling from a bust-up over preparations for a possible U.S.-led war in Iraq, said on Thursday that a “no” vote in Slovenia's March 23 referendum on alliance membership would be another severe blow. “It wouldn't be good news for us, to say the least,” alliance spokesman Yves Brodeur told Reuters. “It would need to be seen in the context of the time for us, compounded by the fact that we went through this very difficult crisis.” There is a movement in Slovakia pushing for a referendum, but it is not yet clear whether one will be held. The government says it will respect the result of the vote, but insists there are no good security alternatives to NATO. It has stepped up a campaign to promote membership ahead of a visit by NATO Secretary-General Robertson next week.(Reuters 1505 060303 GMT)

IRAQ 

• President Bush said on Thursday he will within days force a vote seeking U.N. authorization to invade Iraq, a decision that ratchets up pressure on major powers opposing his push for Security Council backing. “If we need to act, we will act and we really don’t need the UN’s approval to do so,” Bush said in only the second prime-time news conference of his presidency. “When it comes to our security, we really don’t need anybody’s permission.” Asked if he was close to a war decision, Bush said he was still in the final stages of diplomacy. He said he would spend only a matter of days trying to persuade nations to support a new UN resolution before bringing the issue to a vote regardless of its chances of passage. Britain, the strongest said it was searching for a formula that could command a majority in the Security Council, where Bush faces increasingly stiff opposition from veto-holders France, Russia and China. Secretary of State Powell also discussed possible changes in the proposed text of the new resolution with foreign ministers of key European nations in an effort to win wider support. “We’re days away from resolving this issue at the Security Council,” Bush said. “It’s time for people to show their cards, to let the world know where they stand when it comes to (Iraqi President) Saddam (Hussein).”(Reuters 0409 070303 GMT)
  
  
• Turkey could get direct U.S. government loans rather than loan guarantees, including $8.5 billion for six months and up to $24 billion longer term if it reverses course and grants American troops access to its bases for an invasion of Iraq, U.S. sources familiar with the package said on Thursday. Direct loans from the Bush administration would help ensure that Turkey does not run into trouble rolling over its short-term debt on its own, said the sources, who gave some new details of a package that has been hammered out over months. It is unclear whether the Bush administration has changed the package since the parliamentary vote.(Reuters 0052 070303 GMT)
  
  
• Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein has ordered uniforms resembling those worn by U.S. and British troops and will issue them to para-military fighters who would attack Iraqi civilians and blame it on Western forces, the U.S. Central Command charged on Thursday. A senior command official said in a statement that U.S. intelligence had obtained the information, but refused to say how such intelligence was gathered or provide any details. (Reuters 2139 060303 GMT)

OTHER NEWS 

• The Senate unanimously ratified a treaty that would cut active U.S. and Russian long-range nuclear warheads by two-thirds, acting as a separate nuclear crisis was building in Asia. The pact calls on both nations to cut their strategic nuclear arsenals to 1,700 to 2,200 deployed warheads by 2012 down from about 6,000 for the United States and 5,500 for Russia. “The treaty is of critical importance to make the world a safer place,” said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, shortly before Thursday night vote. Senate Democrats said the treaty will not make Americans safer because it allows the weapons to be stored instead of destroyed. But they said it was better than nothing and overwhelmingly joined Republicans in the 95-0 vote. A two-thirds majority was needed for approval. “The treaty is a modest, positive step in U.S.-Russian relations,” said Sen. Carl Levin, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.(AP 070040 Mar 03GMT)