DATE= 10/31/97
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10421
TITLE=SADDAM HUSSEIN VERSUS THE UNITED NATIONS - - AGAIN
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: IRAQ'S MILITARY DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN IS ONCE AGAIN IN
A CONFRONTATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS AND - - BY
EXTENSION - - WITH THE UNITED STATES.
THE SUBJECT IS, AS ALWAYS, INSPECTION OF POTENTIAL
BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS PRODUCTION OR
STORAGE. THE CURRENT STALEMATE HAS AT LEAST ONE U-S
NEWSPAPER EDITORIALIZING IN FAVOR OF MILITARY PUNISHMENT
FOR THE RECALCITRANT MIDDLE EAST DESPOT. WE GET A
SAMPLING NOW FROM _________________ IN TODAY'S U-S
OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: EVER SINCE THE GULF WAR ENDED, THE UNITED NATIONS HAS
TRIED TO KEEP CONTROL OF IRAQ'S MILITARY BUILDUP OF
LETHAL WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION BY PLAYING A KIND OF
CAT AND MOUSE GAME WITH MR. HUSSEIN.
"THE CAT" IS THE UNITED NATIONS TEAM OF ARMS INSPECTORS
WHO LIVE IN IRAQ AND ROUTINELY GO AROUND POKING AND
PRODDING INTO MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AND STORE ROOMS,
LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS MANUFACTURE OR
NUCLEAR WEAPONS STORAGE, AND THE LIKE. "THE MOUSE" IN
THIS GAME ARE THE WEAPONS OR THEIR COMPONENTS, WHICH THE
IRAQI'S TAKE GREAT PAINS TO HIDE FROM THE INSPECTORS,
WITH OCCASIONAL SUCCESS.
WITHIN THE PAST FEW DAYS, SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS INCREASED
PRESSURE ON THIS TEAM, ANNOUNCING HE WAS THROWING OUT OF
HIS COUNTRY ALL THE U-S MEMBERS OF THE INSPECTION FORCE.
THEN THURSDAY, HE BARRED THREE NEW AMERICAN ARMS
INSPECTORS FROM ENTERING IRAQ.
APPARENTLY OBLIVIOUS TO THE LAW OF UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES, THESE LATEST ACTIONS HAVE TURNED EVEN
IRAQ'S GREATER SUPPORTERS, FRANCE AND RUSSIA, ON THE U-N
SECURITY COUNCIL AGAINST HIM. THAT BODY IS FURIOUS, AND
MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS ON IRAQ OR EXTEND
EXISTING ONES, AND ALL THE WHILE, U-S EDITORIALS WRITERS
ARE FIRING OFF SALVO AFTER SALVO IN THE DIRECTION OF
BAGHDAD. HERE'S ONE FROM "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE."
VOICE: "IRAQ, EMBOLDENED BY GROWING DISARRAY IN THE UNITED
NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL, HAS LAUNCHED A DARING GAMBIT
AIMED AT FURTHER ISOLATING THE UNITED STATES FROM OTHER
COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO FAVOR EASING SANCTIONS IMPOSED AT
THE END OF THE GULF WAR. IRAQ ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY THAT
IT WAS EXPELLING ALL AMERICANS WORKING WITH U-N
INSPECTION TEAMS SEARCHING FOR NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL OR
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS. THIS NAKED PLOY SHOULD CONVINCE THE
FIVE PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL THAT THEY
MUST CLOSE RANKS AND COMPEL IRAQ TO COMPLY FULLY WITH
THE 1991 CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT THAT OBLIGATES BAGHDAD TO
DESTROY ALL WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. IF IRAQ CAN
DICTATE WHO SERVES ON U-N INSPECTION TEAMS, IT WILL HAVE
TAKEN A GIANT STEP TOWARD NEUTERING THE DISARMAMENT
EFFORT ALTOGETHER. ..... WASHINGTON MUST ENGAGE IN
AGGRESSIVE DIPLOMACY WITH FRANCE, RUSSIA AND CHINA TO
MAINTAIN A COMMON FRONT AGAINST IRAQ. THAT'S NOT TO SAY
THE U-N SHOULDN'T BE SEARCHING FOR MEANS TO GET MORE
FOOD AND MEDICINE DIRECTLY TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE, WITHOUT
WEAKENING THE SANCTIONS AGAINST THE REGIME. BUT SADDAM
HAS DEMONSTRATED AGAIN WHY A UNITED FRONT AT THE U-N IS
THE PARAMOUNT CONCERN."
TEXT: THE NEW YORK TIMES" IS EQUALLY UPSET, CONTINUING TO
AGONIZE AT THE FAILURE OF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS THERE
TO UNCOVER MORE THAN THEY HAVE SO FAR.
VOICE: "FOR MONTHS, IRAQ HAS ACTIVELY MISLED UNITED NATIONS
INSPECTORS ABOUT ITS CONTINUING GERM WARFARE PROGRAM AND
BLOCKED ENTRY TO MILITARY BASES .... NOW IT IS
THREATENING TO SUSPEND ALL COOPERATION WITH U-N
MONITORS. BUT THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL SEEMS RELUCTANT
TO PRESSURE BAGHDAD TO BACK DOWN. ..... THE DANGEROUS
EROSION OF INTERNATIONAL WILL [AGAINST IRAQ] CAN BE
REVERSED, BUT ONLY IF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION MAKES
AN INTENSIVE EFFORT TO REMIND THE SECURITY COUNCIL
HOLDOUTS [ON VOTING FOR NEW TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AGAINST
IRAQI OFFICIALS IN RETALIATION] HOW MUCH THEY ALL HAVE
TO LOSE IF IRAQ EVER MANAGES TO ACQUIRE DELIVERABLE
BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL OR NUCLEAR WEAPONS."
TEXT: "THE BOSTON GLOBE" AGREES, AND SAYS ANY OF THE MAJOR
WESTERN POWERS THAT STILL DO NOT SEE IRAQ AND ITS
ARSENAL AS A THREAT, ARE SIMPLY IN DEEP "DENIAL."
VOICE: "THE NEED TO ENFORCE THE SECURITY COUNCIL'S MANDATE WAS
- - OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN - - CLEAR TO ALL ITS MEMBERS.
BUT POWER POLITICS IS NEVER QUITE THAT SIMPLE. FRANCE
AND RUSSIA, EAGER TO COLLECT OLD DEBTS FROM SADDAM AND
TO PROFIT FROM OIL AND GAS EXPLOITATION CONTRACTS WITH
HIS REGIME, OPPOSED THE IMMEDIATE SANCTIONS WASHINGTON
FAVORED AND RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM BEIJING. ANOTHER SIX
MONTHS MUST PASS BEFORE BAGHDAD MIGHT BE SUBJECTED TO
THE NEW SANCTIONS. .... THE DENIED REALITY IS THAT
SADDAM IS HOLDING ONTO HIS BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS BECAUSE
THEY ARE MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM THAN THE LIFTING OF THE
U-N'S OIL EMBARGO. THAT'S THE PROBLEM EVEN PARIS AND
MOSCOW NEED TO FACE. IT WON'T BE SOLVED BY THE
[PROPOSED] CLINTON TRAVEL BAN, AND IT CERTAINLY WILL NOT
BE SOLVED BY PRETENDING ... IT DOES NOT EXIST."
TEXT: NEWSDAY ON LONG ISLAND SAYS THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH
THE IRAQI DICTATOR IS FROM A POSITION OF STRENGTH - -
MILITARY STRENGTH IF NECESSARY.
VOICE: "SADDAM HUSSEIN'S LATEST OUTRAGEOUS MOVE .... IS JUST
ANOTHER HEAVY-HANDED, TRANSPARENT ATTEMPT TO SPLIT THE
ALLIANCE AGAINST HIM. HE MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO
SUCCEED. .... [MR.] HUSSEIN HAS TRIED TO SPLIT THE
ALLIANCE BY NEGOTIATING FAVORABLE OIL DEALS FOR SOME
SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS (FRANCE, RUSSIA) WITH THE
CONDITION THAT SANCTIONS ARE EASED. AND, AS THE DISPUTE
OVER THE GERM-WARFARE PROGRAM HAS PROGRESSED, THE
SECURITY COUNCIL HAD SEEMED SLOW TO REACT. IT SHOULD BE
OBVIOUS BY NOW THAT THE ONLY WAY OF DEALING WITH [MR.]
HUSSEIN IS FROM A POSITION OF STRENGTH. ...THE COALITION
MUST NOW DEMONSTRATE TO HIM THE FOLLY OF HIS THINKING -
- AND KEEP HIM IN HIS BOX."
TEXT: ON THAT SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION FROM LONG ISLAND'S
LARGEST DAILY, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF
CURRENT U-S EDITORIAL OPINION ON THE LATEST MOVES IN THE
DEADLY SERIOUS GAME BETWEEN SADDAM HUSSEIN AND THE U-N
WEAPONS INSPECTION TEAM.
NEB/ANG/EH
31-Oct-97 1:28 PM EST (1828 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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