DATE=2/13/98
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10573
TITLE=CONFRONTATION WITH IRAQ
BYLINE=GARY EDQUIST
TELEPHONE=619-3940
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: THE UNITED STATES SAYS IT WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH A
MILITARY STRIKE AGAINST IRAQ IF DIPLOMACY FAILS TO RESOLVE THE
STANDOFF OVER U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS. WE GET A SAMPLING OF
AMERICAN EDITORIAL COMMENTS ABOUT THE IRAQ SITUATION FROM
_________________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: THE PORTLAND [MAINE] PRESS HERALD CONCLUDES IN ITS
EDITORIAL THAT UNLESS IRAQ IS FORCED TO COMPLY WITH U-N
RESOLUTIONS REGARDING WEAPONS INSPECTIONS, SADDAM HUSSEIN "WILL
THREATEN AND HARM HIS NEIGHBORS."
VOICE: ///BEGIN OPT/// CRITICS OF THE USE OF FORCE SHOULD THINK
FOR A MINUTE ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO ALLOW SADDAM
[HUSSEIN] TO GET AWAY WITH PLAYING HIDE-AND-SEEK WITH
U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS. ... THE UNITED STATES HAS NEARLY
EXHUSTED DIPLOMATIC OPTIONS WITH REGARD TO IRAQ. ONCE
SPENT, ///END OPT/// THERE REALLY IS NO OTHER CHOICE.
TO LEAVE SADDAM IN POSSESSION OF WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION WOULD BE FOLLY. IT IS IN THE THE INTERESTS
OF THE WORLD, AND EXPECIALLY THE ARAB NATIONS NEAREST
IRAQ, THAT THE UNITED STATES FORCE SADDAM TO COMPLY WITH
THE TERMS SET DOWN BY THE UNITED NATIONS.
TEXT: THE WASHINGTON POST WRITES THAT NEGOTIATING WITH SADDAM
HUSSEIN "IS THE SOUL OF EVASION." A COMPROMISE WITH IRAQ, WARNS
THE WASHINGTON POST, "COULD LEAVE IN HIS [SADDAM'S] HANDS A
FRIGHTENING THREAT..." THE POST URGES PRESIDENT CLINTON TO
REMIND THE WORLD OF THE DANGERS POSED BY IRAQ.
VOICE: ///BEGIN OPT/// IT STARTS WITH A READING OF SADDAM
HUSSEIN'S RECORD AS AN AGGRESSOR AGAINST NEIGHBORING
KUWAIT, A PROVEN USER OF WEAPONS OF HORROR AGAINST
IRANIANS AND IRAQI KURDS AND AN UNCHECKED WIELDER OF HIS
COUNTRY'S STILL-SUBSTANTIAL POWER ///END OPT/// ... MR.
CLINTON MUST DEFINE THE STAKES ACCURATELY. THEY GO FAR
BEYOND CONFRONTING AN ESPECIALLY UGLY MENACE IN ONE
IMPORTATN REGION. THEY INVOLVE SUPPORTING THE INTEGRITY
OF THE INTERNATIONAL RULES AND INSTITUTIONS BY WHICH
LAW-RESPECTING NATIONS CAN CARE FOR THEMSELVES IN A
TRANSFORMED BUT UNFORGIVING WORLD.
TEXT: THE OMAHA [NEBRASKA] WORLD--HERALD SAYS THAT AMERICANS
"REMAIN IN THE DARK ABOUT [A] STRIKE AGAINST SADDAM" HUSSEIN.
VOICE: THIS IS NOT A REPEAT OF THE DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT
STORM OPERATIONS OF 1990 AND 1991. ... EACH STEP TOWARD
AN AIR STRIKE TAKES THE UNITED STATES CLOSER TO ARMED
CONFLICT, WITH ALL ITS UNPREDICTABILITY AND DANGER. IN
OUR OPINION, THE MISSION AND GOALS OF SUCH A STRIKE
OUGHT TO GET MORE PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND SCRUTINY THAN
THEY HAVE RECEIVED SO FAR.
TEXT: THE ORLANDO [FLORIDA] SENTINAL CONCLUDES THAT "IRAQ MUST
BE STOPPED," BUT ADDS THAT "THE UNITED STATES SHOULD NOT HAVE
TO GO IT ALONE."
VOICE: MR. HUSSEIN IS TESTING THE WATERS, HOPING TO USE THE
PASSAGE OF TIME AND THE FRAYING OF THE ANTI-IRAQ
COALITION TO HIS ADVANTAGE. TIME DOESN'T CHANGE THE
FACTS, THOUGH. AS THE DISPUTE WITH IRAQ COMES TO A
HEAD, THAT COALITION IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT,
UNDERSCORING THE UNDERTAKING'S INTERNATIONAL NATURE.
DEALING WITH IRAQ IS NOT -- AND NEVER WAS -- SIMPLY A
U-S POLICE ACTION. IT SHOULD NOT COME TO THAT.
TEXT: THAT COMMENT FROM THE ORLANDO [FLORIDA] SENTINAL,
CONCLUDES THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENT FROM THE U-S
PRESS.
NEB/GE/RRM
13-Feb-98 2:43 PM EST (1943 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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