DATE= 11/21/97
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10456
TITLE=U-N INSPECTORS RETURN TO IRAQ
BYLINE=GARY EDQUIST
TELEPHONE=619-3940
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: AFTER A THREE-WEEK CONFRONTATION BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE
U-N SECURITY COUNCIL, UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS
-- INCLUDING AMERICANS -- ARE BACK IN IRAQ TO RESUME
THEIR WORK. PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS HE WILL "WAIT AND
SEE" IF IRAQ REALLY ALLOWS THE U-N INSPECTORS TO WORK
UNHINDERED. WE GET REACTION TO THE IRAQ SITUATION FROM
___________________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: WHEN THE U-N INSPECTORS RESUME THEIR WORK, THEY PLAN TO
FOCUS ON IRAQ'S EFFORTS TO PRODUCE CHEMICAL AND
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS. MANY U-S NEWSPAPERS CONCLUDE, MUCH
AS THE LOS ANGELES TIMES DID ON FRIDAY, THAT THE
INSPECTORS' RETURN MARKS AN "END TO [THE] CRISIS -- FOR
THE MOMENT." THE WASHINGTON POST NOTES IN ITS EDITORIAL
THAT "THE BEST THAT CAN BE SAID ABOUT THE IRAQ CRISIS
ISN'T VERY GOOD."
VOICE: "FOR THE UNITED STATES, THE CRUCIAL IMMEDIATE
CONSIDERATION WAS NOT MERELY TO RESTORE THE ARMS
INSPECTORS WITH AUTHORITY INTACT AND IMPROVED; THIS
APPARENTLY WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE IMPORTANT THING WAS TO
RESTORE THE INSPECTORATE WITHOUT MAKING ANY CONCESSIONS
THAT [IRAQI LEADER] SADDAM HUSSEIN COULD USE TO SHOW HIS
DEFIANCE HAD PAID. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN UNACCEPTABLE
DEFEAT FOR THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED NATIONS
ALIKE."
TEXT: THE NEW YORK POST CONCLUDES IN ITS EDITORIAL THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION AND THE U-S HAS SUFFERED A SERIOUS
FOREIGN POLICY DEFEAT.
VOICE: "THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS TALKING TOUGH AND
STANDING TALL AS THE UNITED NATIONS INSPECTORS [MADE]
THEIR WAY BACK TO IRAQ. ... WE WELCOME THIS NO NONSENSE
RHETORIC. IT'S NICE TO HEAR OFFICIALS OF THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION SOUNDING LIKE REAL MEN FOR A CHANGE. BUT
RHETORIC IS ALL IT IS. NO MATTER WHAT THE PRESIDENT AND
HIS PEOPLE SAY, THEY HAVE SUFFERED A SERIOUS FOREIGN
POLICY DEFEAT, AND SO HAS THE UNITED STATES."
TEXT: IN ITS LOOK AT THE IRAQ CRISIS, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
[CALIFORNIA] CONCLUDES THAT "THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM
REMAINS."
VOICE: "// OPT // IRAQ STILL HAS A FORMIDABLE ARSENAL OF
TERRIFYING CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS. THAT
PROBABLY INCLUDES TONS OF V-X, THE MOST TOXIC CHEMICAL
AGENT KNOWN, AND THOUSANDS OF LITERS OF ANTHRAX, A
DEADLY BACILLUS. // END OPT // UNTIL THE INSPECTORS
CERTIFY THAT IRAQ IS NO LONGER MAKING AND HIDING
NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS AND LONG-RANGE
MISSILES, THE SANCTIONS LODGED AGAINST IT IN 1990 MUST
REMAIN IN PLACE. THAT IS WHAT THE U-N RESOLUTIONS
REQUIRE, AND THAT IS WHAT WASHINGTON AND LONDON ARE
RIGHT TO DEMAND."
TEXT: NEWSDAY [LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK] WRITES THAT UNTIL "THERE
IS CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT [SADDAM] HUSSEIN IS LIVING UP TO
HIS AGREEMENT, NONE OF THE ADDITIONAL WARSHIPS AND
FIGHTER-BOMBERS THAT PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON HAS
DISPATCHED TO THE PERSIAN GULF SHOULD LEAVE." NEWSDAY
ADDS THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN "LOST NOTHING IN THIS
CONFRONTATION."
VOICE: "IF ANYTHING, HE GAINED TIME -- ENOUGH, PERHAPS, TO HIDE
MORE EFFECTIVELY THE VERY WEAPONS INTERNATIONAL
INSPECTORS WERE COMING CLOSE TO SNIFFING OUT [I.E.
FINDING THEM] WHEN HE BLOCKED THEM. // OPT// IT'S GOOD
THAT RUSSIA FINALLY SAW FIT TO INTERVENE AND PERSUADE
[SADDAM] HUSSEIN TO BACK DOWN. BUT RUSSIA IS HARDLY AN
HONEST BROKER IN THIS NEGOTIATION. RUSSIA IS OWED VAST
SUMS THAT BAGHDAD CAN REPAY ONLY IF SANCTIONS ARE LIFTED
AND IRAQ CAN SELL OIL ONCE AGAIN. IT WAS RUSSIA'S AND
FRANCE'S LOBBYING FOR AN END TO THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
THAT CREATED THE FISSURE IN THE ALLIANCE INTO WHICH
[SADDAM] HUSSEIN DROVE A WEDGE." // END OPT //
TEXT: THE PORTLAND [OREGON] PRESS HERALD WARNS THAT "SADDAM
HUSSEIN MAY BE MORE DANGEROUS THAN EVER NOW." AND THE
EDITORIAL CONTINUES:
VOICE: "// OPT // THE RETURN OF A FULL CONTINGENT OF U-N ARMS
INSPECTORS TO BAGHDAD ... MAY DEFUSE THE LATEST SADDAM
HUSSEIN-INSPIRED CRSIS THERE. FOR ALL RUSSIAN FOREIGN
MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV'S CROWING, HOWEVER, THE RETURN
TO WHAT PASSES IN IRAQ FOR NORMALACY DOESN'T RESOLVE THE
UNDERLYING ISSUE: HOW TO DEAL WITH A DANGEROUS DESPOT.
// END OPT // ... NOW, MORE THAN EVER, A LEGITIMATE
GOVERNMENT IN EXILE IS NEEDED, SO THE WORLD DOESN'T HAVE
TO DEAL WITH SADDAM ALONE. IF SUCH A GOVERNMENT WERE TO
CHALLENGE SADDAM'S CREDENTIALS AT THE UNITED NATIONS AND
EVERY OTHER WORLD FORUM, HE COULD NOT CONTINUE TO
OPERATE AS THOUGH HE WERE THE LEGITIMATE LEADER OF THE
IRAQI PEOPLE. HE IS NOT."
TEXT: THAT COMMENT FROM THE PORTLAND [OREGON] PRESS HERALD
CONCLUDES THIS SAMPLING OF U-S EDITORIAL COMMENT ABOUT
THE RETURN OF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS TO IRAQ.
NEB/GE/EH
21-Nov-97 1:41 PM EST (1841 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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