Military

SHAPE News Summary & Analysis

24 March 2003

IRAQ

• According to the Washington Times, the Bush administration yesterday abandoned its insistence that the UN Security Council vote by today on a second resolution against Iraq and vowed to disarm Saddam Hussein even without the world body’s support. The newspaper also noted that the White House increased its criticism of France for threatening to veto the resolution in the event that the U.S. is able to obtain nine votes for its passage. In any case, observes the daily, it seems that Washington did not change its position on the conviction that President Bush does not need UN “permission” to wage a war. White House Press Secretary Fleischer was quoted saying: “There is no question, based on both international law and domestic law, that the President has that authority. If a diplomatic outcome cannot be achieved, there should never be any question and a doubt of anybody about the President’s intent to disarm Saddam Hussein”. The spokesman also accused France of “inconsistency” by rejecting any U.S. ultimatum on Iraq while asserting its own ultimatum to veto the resolution.
  A related article, carried by the International Herald Tribune, argues that the Bush administration said on Thursday that it would probably continue debating a new resolution authorizing war in Iraq into next week and could in the end decide to abandon the proposal, while being short of the votes to win.
  The Guardian reports British Foreign Minister Straw expressed dismay in an exclusive interview to the newspaper at what he had earlier called President Chirac’s “extraordinary position” in saying France would veto a second resolution “whatever the circumstances”. He also reportedly added: “Unfortunately, they appear to have made the decision not to enforce 1441…That renders it less likely that we get a peaceful outcome”. Although French Foreign Minister de Villepin appeared conciliatory in the face of U.S.-led criticism, he made it clear that Paris will not cross its red line, continues the newspaper. To establish an ultimatum in any second resolution is not reasonable, concluded the Foreign Minister.
  The Financial Times writes that German Chancellor Schröder renewed on Friday his support for France anti-war stance on Iraq. He reportedly said an extended program of UN weapons inspections would be the best way of producing a “sustainable and verifiable disarmament”.
  

TRANS-ATLANTIC RELATIONS

• The International Herald Tribune reports that Britain is calling for a special high-level meeting of European Union members to block “anti-Americanism in some European capitals” from poisoning the EU’s enlargement with threats of exclusion to East European candidates who back the U.S.’ stance on Iraq. Both the accusation and the call for a meeting were contained in a formal statement that Denis MacShane, the minister for Europe, sent to journalists in various European countries. “When the crisis is over, the United States and the European Union will still be there…We cannot allow anti-Americanism in some European capitals to contaminate the construction of the European Union and its enlargement…I will be asking the Greek presidency to convene a meeting of European ministers from all 25 member states so that we can unite to stop those forces which are seeking to divide Europe still further and exclude existing and incoming member states from being full and equal partners in the EU”. Mr. MacShane has described himself as a Euro-Atlanticist and has often be critical in the past of what he considers anti-American reflexes of some EU members and the EU’s Brussels bureaucracy.

NATO

• A new NATO developmental, doctrinal and training center designed for struggle against weapons of mass destruction could be launched in Vyskov, southern Moravia, in 2004 already, said Czech Deputy Defense Minister Jan Vana to journalists, according to CTK press agency. He also added that the establishment of the center depends on the June meeting of the Alliance’s defense ministers.

EU-NATO

• An AFP dispatch reports the EU and NATO signed today a landmark political accord to share classified information and give Europeans access to the Alliance’s logistical and planning capacities. Lord Robertson, who signed the deal with Greek Foreign Minister Papandreou, was quoted saying: “It’s much more than a technical document…The two organizations saying that will share the most sensitive and highly classified material on a common basis, indicates a level of trust that has never been achieved…It is on that basis of trust that we will finalize the permanent arrangements between the two organizations”. The accord, the agency’s report observes, paves the way for the European Union to launch its first peacekeeping operation in Macedonia (sic), with some 300-400 EU troops expected to take over from NATO’s Operation Allied Harmony by the turn of the month. Lord Robertson also reportedly added: “This presidency will see, we hope in the next few weeks the EU taking on responsibility for its first ever crisis management operation…in the FYROM”.