DATE=02/18/98
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10579
TITLE=THE CASE FOR ATTACKING IRAQ IF DIPLOMACY FAILS
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: THE UNITED STATES IS POISED TO ATTACK IRAQ WITH A FULL
MILITARY STRIKE IF LAST MINUTE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS BY THE U-N
SECRETARY GENERAL FAIL TO REACH AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATION WITH
U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION TEAMS. AFTER SOME CRITICISM HE HAD NOT
MADE THE U-S CASE AS CLEAR AND COMPELLING AS IT NEEDED TO BE,
PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS SPELLED OUT THE AMERICAN POSITION IN A
SPEECH AT THE PENTAGON.
U-S DAILIES ARE FULL OF REACTION TO THE COMMENTS, AND WE GET A
SAMPLING NOW FROM __________________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION
ROUNDUP.
TEXT: AFTER MONTHS OF RHETORICAL BUILD UP, MR. CLINTON BASICALLY
DELIVERED AN ULTIMATUM TO THE RECALCITRANT IRAQI LEADER,
SUGGESTING THE OUTCOME OF THIS CONFRONTATION WAS VERY MUCH UP TO
HIM. IF HE DROPPED CONDITIONS AND ALLOWED THE UNITED NATIONS
INSPECTORS TO DO THEIR WORK, UNRESTRICTED, THE U-S WOULD NOT
ATTACK. OTHERWISE, IT WOULD, AND SOON.
THE PRESIDENT'S REMARKS ARE DRAWING MIXED REVIEWS IN THE PRESS
AND WE BEGIN OUR SAMPLING WITH "THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" IN
GEORGIA.
VOICE: /// OPT ///IF SADDAM HUSSEIN THINKS HE CAN STRING THE
WORLD ALONG INDEFINITELY, [STALL] HE IS DELUDING
HIMSELF. BARRING A LAST-MINUTE DIPLOMATIC COUP BY U-N
SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN, THE UNITED STATES WILL
HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO LAUNCH PUNISHING AIR STRIKES AT
IRAQ'S ARMED FORCES AND SUSPECTED HIDING PLACES FOR
SADDAM'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. /// END OPT ///
... PRESIDENT CLINTON NEATLY SUMMED UP THE RATIONALE AND
OBJECTIVES FOR THE THREATENED IRAQI BLITZ IN AN ADDRESS
TUESDAY AT THE PENTAGON. GIVEN SADDAM'S HISTORY OF
USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST OUTSIDE ENEMIES AND EVEN
HIS OWN COUNTRYMEN, THE PRESIDENT SAID, HE IS AN
INTERNATIONAL MENACE WHO WOULD BE CERTAIN TO USE SUCH
TERRIBLE WEAPONS AGAIN -- IF HE IS NOT STOPPED. ...U-N
RESOLUTIONS ON A MATTER SO FUNDAMENTAL AS PREVENTING
MASS MURDER ARE TO BE OBEYED, EVEN IF THE UNITED STATES
AND A FEW OF ITS ALLIES ARE THE ONLY COUNTRIES THAT WILL
ENFORCE THEM.
TEXT: IN THE CONNECTICUT CAPITOL, "THE HARTFORD COURANT" HAS A
DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH.
VOICE: NOTHING ...PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID ... ON IRAQ WAS NEW OR
PARTICULARLY STIRRING. HIS SPEECH WAS SUPPOSED TO
EXPLAIN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THE COMPELLING REASONS
FOR ATTACKING THAT NATION TO MAKE ITS DICTATOR, SADDAM
HUSSEIN, OBEY U-N RESOLUTIONS. MR. CLINTON GAVE SEVERAL
JUSTIFICATIONS, BUT IT IS DOUBTFUL HE CHANGED MINDS.
THOSE WHO WERE INCLINED TO AGREE WITH HIM IN THE FIRST
PLACE APPLAUDED; THOSE WHO WERE UNCONVINCED REMAINED SO.
...WHAT IS BAFFLING ABOUT THE LATEST CLASH WITH IRAQ IS
THAT THERE REALLY IS NO CRISIS, NO SUSPECTED SITES OF
CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, OR NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND NO IRAQI
MILITARY MACHINE READY TO STRIKE AGAINST A NEIGHBOR.
...THE CRISIS, IF IT CAN BE CALLED THAT, IS IN THE WHITE
HOUSE ITSELF ...BATTLING ALLEGATIONS OF SEX AND LIES
INVOLVING THE PRESIDENT.
TEXT: NEW YORK'S "DAILY NEWS," THE NATION'S LARGEST TABLOID, IS,
HOWEVER, TOTALLY IN AGREEMENT WITH THE PRESIDENT.
VOICE: IN LAYING OUT THE REASONS WHY MILITARY ACTION AGAINST
IRAQ IS LIKELY, PRESIDENT CLINTON ... DID EXACTLY WHAT
HE NEEDED TO. HE EXPLAINED TO AMERICA (AND TO THE
WORLD) THAT IRAQ IS IN SERIOUS VIOLATION OF THE
CONDITIONS OF THE 1991 GULF WAR CEASEFIRE AND THAT THE
VIOLATIONS MUST STOP. IF THE VIOLATIONS DO NOT STOP,
THE BOMBING BEGINS. THAT IS NOT JUST A KEY POINT -- IT
IS THE ONLY POINT. AND [MR.] CLINTON DID AN EXCELLENT
JOB OF EXPLAINING ITS HISTORY.
TEXT: UPSET BECAUSE IT WANTS AN ATTACK THAT WILL REMOVE THE
IRAQI DICTATOR FROM POWER, "THE NEW YORK POST" FINDS FAULT WITH
THE PRESIDENT.
VOICE: THE PUBLIC 'NEEDS TO BE PREPARED' FOR WHAT WILL HAPPEN
IF THE UNITED STATES GOES TO WAR WITH IRAQ. ...[BUT]
IT IS THE PRESIDENT WHO NEEDS SOME EDUCATING. THE
MILITARY ACTION HE PROPOSES CONTINUES TO REMAIN BLURRY
IN PURPOSE. ...THE PRESIDENT'S 'DO SOMETHING' STRATEGY
SHOWS THAT HE STILL DOES NOT QUITE GRASP WHAT POLLS TELL
US THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO: [GRASP, THAT IS] THE GOAL OF
ANY MILITARY ACTION MUST BE TO REMOVE SADDAM HUSSEIN
FROM POWER.
TEXT: IN THE MIDWEST, "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE" TENDS TO AGREE,
FEELING THAT WHILE, THE PRESIDENT MADE A "COGENT CASE FOR A
POSSIBLE MILITARY ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ:"
VOICE: ....HE WAS FRUSTRATINGLY VAGUE ABOUT JUST WHAT HE HOPED
TO ACCOMPLISH WITH A BARRAGE OF AIR STRIKES, BEYOND HIS
ASSERTION THAT THEY WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE SADDAM
HUSSEIN'S CAPACITY TO THREATEN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.
FOR CERTAIN, THAT MUST BE THE MINIMAL GOAL IF IT BECOMES
NECESSARY TO USE FORCE ... THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, HOWEVER,
STILL NEED TO BE TOLD HOW MUCH FORCE AND TIME IT LIKELY
WILL TAKE TO BRING THE IRAQI LEADER TO HEEL. ... CASE
MADE, MR. PRESIDENT. NOW TELL US FRANKLY WHAT TO
EXPECT IF ATTEMPTS AT A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION FAIL AND YOU
HAVE TO ORDER U-S WARPLANES INTO ACTION.
/// OPT /// ...SOME AMERICANS QUESTION WHY WE SHOULD GO
TO WAR TO ACHIEVE SO LITTLE. EVEN MORE WONDER WHY WE
SIMPLY DO NOT TRY TO OVERTHROW [MR.] HUSSEIN. IT IS
INCUMBENT ON THE PRESIDENT TO PROVIDE CONVINCING ANSWERS
TO THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE HE LAUNCHES AIR STRIKES.
TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES" SAYS, WHEN ALL THE THE RHETORIC IS
STRIPPED AWAY, THE ISSUE IS REALLY VERY SIMPLE.
VOICE: WITH THE APPROACH OF A NEW MOON OVER IRAQ NEXT WEEK, AND
THE DARKNESS IT WILL PROVIDE FOR AIR OPERATIONS, THE
DAYS FOR DIPLOMACY WOULD APPEAR TO BE DWINDLING FAST.
THAT IS WHY ... PRESIDENT CLINTON TRAVELED TO THE
PENTAGON YESTERDAY TO ISSUE HIS MOST EXPLICIT WARNING TO
SADDAM HUSSEIN THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL USE MILITARY
FORCE IF HE REFUSES TO ALLOW UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO U-N
WEAPONS INSPECTORS. ..... MR. HUSSEIN MUST HONOR THE
AGREEMENTS HE MADE WITH THE SECURITY COUNCIL AT THE END
OF THE PERSIAN GULF WAR TO DESIST FROM THE DEVELOPMENT
OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND TO DESTROY THOSE HE
HAS AS WELL AS THE MEANS TO MAKE THEM. ...THE IRAQ
CRISIS IS NEITHER MORE NOR LESS THAN THAT.
TEXT: ADDS "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES," SADDAM HUSSEIN'S CAPACITY
FOR WAGING NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, AND CHEMICAL WARFARE MUST BE
REDUCED, WHETHER OUR ALLIES AGREE OR NOT.
VOICE: IF FORCE IS USED, IT IS REALISTIC AND ACHIEVABLE GOAL
WOULD BE TO WEAKEN THE SECURITY UNDERPINNINGS OF HIS
REGIME AND AT LEAST SET BACK FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF HIS
TERROR WEAPONS. EVEN THIS LIMITED OBJECTIVE IS RESISTED
BY SOME WHO SEE ECONOMIC PROFIT OR POLITICAL VALUE IN
OPPOSING U-S POLICY, INCLUDING COUNTRIES THAT WOULD BE
AMONG THE FIRST VICTIMS OF A REARMED IRAQ. THAT OTHERS
REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MAGNITUDE OF THE THREAT SHOULD
NOT INHIBIT WASHINGTON FROM TAKING WHAT MEASURES
AMERICAN INTERESTS REQUIRE.
TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON POST" COMMENTS THE PRESIDENT WAS ONLY
PARTLY SUCCESSFUL IN EDUCATING THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
TOWARD THE ULTIMATE NEED FOR AN ATTACK.
VOICE: THE PRESIDENT'S OWN RHETORIC HAS DOWNSHIFTED FROM
PROMISING TO DENY SADDAM HUSSEIN THE CAPABILITY TO USE
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION TO PLEDGING ONLY TO DIMINISH
THAT CAPABILITY. ....IT IS FAR FROM CLEAR THAT AIR
STRIKES ARE AN EFFECTIVE WEAPON AGAINST THE CAPABILITIES
AT ISSUE HERE, AND IT'S EVEN LESS CERTAIN HOW THE UNITED
NATIONS, IF IT DOES NOT GET ITS INSPECTORS BACK INTO
IRAQ, WILL HAVE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION IN SIX MONTHS OR
A YEAR TO CREDIBLY THREATEN A SECOND ROUND OF MILITARY
ACTION.
/// END OPT ///
TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF U-S PRESS
REACTION TO THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH YESTERDAY [2/17] AT THE
PENTAGON IN WHICH HE MADE HIS CASE FOR ATTACKING IRAQ.
NEB/ANG/RAE
18-Feb-98 12:40 PM EST (1740 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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