DATE=08/31/98
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10888
TITLE=IRAQI U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION STALL DRAWS IRE
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: THE U-S PRESS IS CRITICAL OF THE CESSATION OF UNITED
NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTIONS IN IRAQ. THE ISSUE WAS BROUGHT INTO
SHARPER FOCUS LAST WEEK BY THE RESIGNATION OF SCOTT RITTER, ONE
OF THE MOST SENIOR AMERICANS ON THE U-N INSPECTION TEAM. MR.
RITTER, AN AGGRESSIVE FORMER MARINE CORPS OFFICER, SAID HE WAS
QUITTING BECAUSE OF U-N AND U-S RELUCTANCE TO CONFRONT IRAQI
LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN.
JOINING US IN THE STUDIO NOW IS ________________ WHO HAS A
SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL REACTION TO THESE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN
TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: IN HIS LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS, WHICH
HE MADE PUBLIC, MR. RITTER SAID THAT HE BELIEVES IRAQ HAS
RETAINED THE CAPABILITY TO PRODUCE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
HE ADDED: "WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF TAKING A DECISION, IRAQ COULD
HAVE BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND BALLISTIC MISSILES TO
DELIVER THEM. AND THEY COULD RESTART THEIR NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PROGRAM."
EARLIER, "THE WASHINGTON POST" REPORTED THAT DURING THE PAST
YEAR, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAD QUIETLY PUT PRESSURE ON THE
U-N INSPECTION TEAM TO REDUCE ITS AGGRESSIVENESS, ESPECIALLY IN
CONDUCTING UNANNOUNCED INSPECTIONS. ADMINISTRATION SOURCES
EXPLAINED THE MOVE AS AN EFFORT TO KEEP THE INSPECTION PROGRAM
ALIVE RATHER THAN FACE TOTAL IRAQI OBSTRUCTION. HOWEVER, ALMOST
A MONTH AGO, IRAQ STOPPED COOPERATING ANYWAY.
THIS STORY, PLUS MR. RITTER'S RESIGNATION, HAS PLACED THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION ON THE DEFENSIVE.
/// OPT /// AND IN A "LOS ANGELES TIMES" STORY ON MR. RITTER'S
RESIGNATION, ANOTHER FORMER U-N WEAPONS INSPECTOR, DAVID KAY, IS
QUOTED AS SAYING THE U-S APPROACH BOILS DOWN TO AN ATTEMPT AT
"SAVING THE INSPECTION PROCESS BY NOT INSPECTING." /// END OPT
///
WITH THAT AS BACKGROUND, WE BEGIN OUR EDITORIAL SAMPLING IN
CALIFORNIA, WHERE "THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE" SAYS THE CURRENT
"WEAPONS MONITORING IS A CHARADE."
VOICE: 'THE ILLUSION OF ARMS CONTROL IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN NO
ARMS CONTROL AT ALL.' THAT OMINOUS WARNING WAS ISSUED
BY WILLIAM SCOTT RITTER, WHO HAS TOLD THE TRUTH AND
RESIGNED AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE RATHER THAN
PARTICIPATE IN THE CHARADE THAT UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS
INSPECTORS ARE CAREFULLY MONITORING IRAQ'S SECRET
CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR PROGRAMS. ...[MR.]
RITTER'S CONCERNS ARE SHARED BY MANY MIDEAST ANALYSTS
WHO HAVE WARNED THAT SADDAM HAS GROWN MORE AND MORE
BELLIGERENT IN RECENT YEARS AS HE HAS SENSED A LACK OF
RESOLVE BY THE UNITED STATES AND ITS U-N ALLIES. ///
OPT /// ... WHEN THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION UNDERCUT THE
INSPECTION TEAM'S EFFORT TO CHECK OUT SENSITIVE SITES IN
AND AROUND BAGHDAD THIS SUMMER, [MR.] RITTER REALIZED HE
COULD NO LONGER BE A PART OF WHAT HE CORRECTLY LABELS A
'FARCE.' /// END OPT /// FOR ALL THE TOUGH TALK FROM
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ABOUT FORCING SADDAM TO HONOR
HIS PROMISE, IT APPEARS HE IS BEING ALLOWED TO OPERATE
WITH RELATIVE IMPUNITY. AND THAT IS DESPICABLE."
TEXT: IN CALIFORNIA, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" RAN THIS OP ED
PIECE BY JONATHAN TUCKER, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE U-N WEAPONS
INSPECTION TEAM WHO NOW DIRECTS THE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
WEAPONS NONPROLIFERATION PROJECT AT THE MONTERREY INSTITUTE OF
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES.
VOICE: "THE DECISION BY SENIOR U-N INSPECTOR SCOTT RITTER TO
RESIGN REFLECTS A GROWING SENSE OF FRUSTRATION AND
BITTERNESS AMONG THE MEN AND WOMEN FROM SEVERAL
COUNTRIES WORKING TO DISARM IRAQ OF ITS MOST DANGEROUS
WEAPONS. THEY FEEL ABANDONED BY THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY, WHICH IS SUFFERING FROM 'CRISIS FATIGUE.'
..... IN THE PAST, UNARMED U-N INSPECTORS FACED DOWN
IRAQI SOLDIERS WITH KALASHNIKOVS, SECURE IN THE
KNOWLEDGE THAT THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL WAS BEHIND THEM.
BUT WHENEVER THE COUNCIL HESITATED OR EQUIVOCATED ...
IRAQ HAS EXPLOITED THIS WEAKNESS. ... THE PAST SEVEN
YEARS HAVE SEEN A PROTRACTED BATTLE OF WILL AND WITS
BETWEEN THE U-N INSPECTORS AND THE IRAQI AUTHORITIES.
.... [MR.] RITTER'S DEPARTURE WILL WEAKEN UNSCOM, AT
LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM, BUT IT SHOULD SERVE AS A WAKEUP
CALL [SERIOUS WARNING] FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY."
TEXT: IN THE MIDWEST, "THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH" SAYS WHAT IS
LACKING IN THIS POLICY IS "CONSISTENCY" BUT IT ALSO RAISES AN
INTERESTING THEORY ABOUT THE RECENT MISSILE ATTACKS IN
AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN.
VOICE: /// OPT /// IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHETHER THE DETAILS
OF MR. RITTER'S RESIGNATION ARE ALL TRUE. BUT THE GIST
OF IT - - THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS BACKED DOWN FROM
CHALLENGING SADDAM - - IS CONSISTENT WITH EARLIER NEWS
STORIES. ... THE LESS CONFRONTATIONAL STANCE WITH
SADDAM CERTAINLY REFLECTS POLITICAL REALITIES.
SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ ARE UNPOPULAR AMONG MANY U-N
MEMBERS. IN FACT, SOME COUNTRIES HAVE QUIETLY IGNORED
THEM. /// END OPT /// ... IF A SHOWDOWN WERE PROVOKED
- - IF MR. BUTLER DEMANDED HIS UNFETTERED RIGHT TO
INSPECT - - AND SADDAM REFUSED, WHAT OPTIONS ARE THERE?
U-N ENTHUSIASM FOR KEEPING SANCTIONS ON IRAQ IS FRANKLY
NONEXISTENT. TIGHTENING THEM IS OUT OF THE QUESTION.
SO WHAT IS THE UNITED STATES GOING TO DO? BOMB SADDAM'S
CHEMICAL WEAPONS FACILITIES? MAYBE SO. INCREASINGLY IT
APPEARS THAT THE U-S MISSILE ATTACK ON THE ALLEGED
CHEMICAL WEAPONS PLANT IN SUDAN MAY HAVE HAD MORE TO DO
WITH PUNISHING SADDAM [HUSSEIN] THAN OSAMA BIN LADEN.
... IS IT POSSIBLE ... THE MISSILE ATTACK WAS NOT A
STRIKE AGAINST BIN LADEN OR SUDAN ..... [BUT] A
HARD-LINE VERSION OF 'WE KNOW WHERE YOU STUFF IS?' THE
PROBLEM IS THAT THE UNITED STATES SEEMS TO BE ACTING
INCONSISTENTLY: IT HAS WEAKLY LET SADDAM WIGGLE OFF THE
HOOK ON INTERNATIONALLY ENFORCED INSPECTIONS WHILE
UNILATERALLY FIRING MISSILES INTO A THIRD COUNTRY TO
SEND HIM A STERN MESSAGE.
TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON POST" [ON FRIDAY 8/28] IS COUNTING THE
DAYS SINCE THE WEAPONS INSPECTIONS STOPPED ALTOGETHER AND, USING
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S OWN WORDS ON THE SITUATION FROM EARLIER IN
THE YEAR, NOW LAMENTS:
VOICE: ... IF SADDAM HUSSEIN NOW MANAGES TO ACQUIRE NUCLEAR
WEAPONS, WOULD U-S THREATS REALLY SERVE TO DETER, FOR
EXAMPLE, ANOTHER INVASION OF KUWAIT? DETERRENCE DEPENDS
ON CREDIBILITY. PRESIDENT CLINTON HIMSELF PROVIDED
ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS LAST FEBRUARY. [QUOTE] 'WHAT
IF HE FAILS TO COMPLY AND WE FAIL TO ACT, OR WE TAKE
SOME AMBIGUOUS THIRD ROUTE, WHICH GIVES HIM YET MORE
OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THIS PROGRAM OF WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION? ...' [UNQUOTE] YET TODAY, THE U-S
GOVERNMENT IS USING INTERNATIONAL APATHY AS AN EXCUSE TO
DO NOTHING ...... WHAT MIGHT THE CONSEQUENCES BE, IN
IRAQ AND AROUND THE WORLD, OF SUCH APPEASEMENT? BACK IN
FEBRUARY, MR. CLINTON HAD AN ANSWER [QUOTE] ... 'IN
THIS CENTURY, WE LEARNED THROUGH HARSH EXPERIENCE THAT
THE ONLY ANSWER TO AGGRESSION AND ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR IS
FIRMNESS, DETERMINATION AND, WHEN NECESSARY, ACTION ...
IF WE FAIL TO RESPOND TODAY, SADDAM, AND ALL THOSE WHO
WOULD FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS, WILL BE EMBOLDENED
TOMORROW BY THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY CAN ACT WITH
IMPUNITY ....[UNQUOTE]
TEXT: WITH THOSE WORDS OF PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, AS QUOTED BY
"THE WASHINGTON POST," WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL
COMMENT ON THE CURRENT STALEMATED U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS OF
IRAQ.
NEB/ANG/RRM
31-Aug-98 4:40 PM EDT (2040 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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