04 November 1997
U.S. OPINION ROUNDUP: U.N. WEAPONS CRISIS WITH IRAQ
(Excerpts of editorial comment from major newspapers) (910) The following are excerpts from editorials in the major U.S. press commenting on Iraq's expulsion of American members of the U.N. weapons inspection team: (Begin excerpts) WASHINGTON POST THE U.N.: IRAQ'S CHALLENGE... November 4, 1997 This is a time for the United States to be on the alert in dealing with Saddam Hussein. For whatever hidden reason, he suddenly demanded that American personnel and planes be removed from the ranks of those looking to see whether Iraq, aggressor against Kuwait, had yielded up its special weapons. The demand amounted to a direct assault on the integrity of the Security Council, which cannot possibly allow a malefactor to dictate changes in the terms of its own chastisement. On this point the Security Council must be entirely clear. Iraq started and lost the war. Penalties were then imposed, including arms inspections to make sure Saddam Hussein could not soon again threaten another country. Saddam Hussein does not get to pretend those penalties are unjust and unfair or no longer worth enforcing. His part is to grant compliance. ... NEW YORK TIMES DIPLOMACY AND FORCE ON IRAQ November 4, 1997 The Clinton Administration should move quickly to exploit Baghdad's miscalculation. The prime goal should be to reinvigorate the Council's resolve to enforce resolutions designed to prevent Iraq from rebuilding its biological, chemical and nuclear weapons programs. Achieving that objective will require a careful balance between diplomacy and credible threats of force. There can be no wavering in the face of this defiance of U.N. resolutions that Iraq accepted after its defeat in the 1991 Persian Gulf war. CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR UNFINISHED WORK IN IRAQ November 4, 1997 Motivations quickly get tangled in the Gulf. Much of the world (less so, the U.S.) depends on the region's oil. Disillusionment with the Mideast peace process disturbs Arab nations. In Washington, politicians are eager to wax belligerent against old enemy Saddam.... Washington's patience may be tested as envoys from U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan meet with Saddam in an effort to resolve the crisis. But diplomatic processes have to be allowed to work. Given humanitarian concerns and the safety of U.N. personnel in Iraq, force is a last option.... CHICAGO TRIBUNE LET SADDAM KNOW WHO'S BOSS November 4, 1997 Time is running out for France and Russia to come to their senses and endorse firm measures by a unified UN coalition against Saddam. But both these countries are blinded by the prospect of lucrative future oil contracts with Iraq, so they may keep putting greed before sound policy. In that case, Washington may be tempted to act alone. This would not be the ideal solution, but given just how much is at stake --peace and stability in the Middle East -- it cannot be ruled out. Nor ought it be -- especially if the Iraqis are crazy enough to shoot at U.S. planes. LOS ANGELES TIMES FORCE IS ONLY PROPER OPTION IF IRAQ REFUSES TO BUDGE November 4, 1997 Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress say they support taking forceful action against Iraq if Saddam Hussein continues trying to bar American weapons inspectors, a sign that President Clinton can count on bipartisan backing should he be obliged to use military means in this developing international confrontation. Nothing less than steadiness and firmness by the U.N. Security Council is needed now. That 15-member body has insisted once again that Iraq comply with council resolutions. But, at the same time, official comments have cast doubt on the willingness of France and Russia -- each of which has a veto on the council -- to approve the use of force to compel compliance. Hussein continues doing his best to exploit that reluctance as he goes on defying the council's will; on Monday he threatened to shoot down a reconnaissance plane used by the inspectors. As always, diplomacy is the first tool of choice in trying to resolve a crisis, and to that end U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has sent a three-member mission to Baghdad to talk things over. But if the Iraqi dictator insists on trying to negotiate with the diplomats -- or, worse, if they agree to negotiate with him, to implicitly accept that he has a legitimate grievance and to offer concessions -- the mission will have failed. BALTIMORE SUN DEALING WITH IRAQ November 4, 1997 A unilateral U.S. response would miss that point and play into the dictator's hand, enlarging the differences with France, Russia and China. U.N. Secretary General Koff Annan sent three emissaries to Baghdad, arriving today in hopes of defusing the crisis. He made it clear that they are not bargaining over U.S. participation, but would discuss "firm implementation" of U.N. resolutions requiring Iraq to scrap nuclear, biological, chemical and long-range missile weapons. Further action should come from the Security Council and respond to any failure of this mission to bring compliance. Saddam Hussein is from the school of dictators that turns defeat into martyrdom and survival. He is also one who tyrannizes his people, as U.N. human rights investigator Max van der Stoel reported yesterday. This tyrant is not afraid of unilateral U.S. bombs but of U.N. unanimity. Achieving and maintaining that unanimity should therefore be the U.S. goal. (End excerpts)
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