DATE=11/03/98
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10989
TITLE=MORE DEFIANCE FROM IRAQ
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: SADDAM HUSSEIN'S RECENT DECISION TO CANCEL ALL REMAINING
COOPERATION WITH U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION TEAMS IN IRAQ HAS
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS IN THE UNITED STATES REACHING INTO THEIR
DICTIONARIES FOR NEW FORMS OF INVECTIVE.
BUT NOT ALL THE CRITICISM IS DIRECTED AT THE IRAQI LEADER. THERE
IS ALSO STRONG LANGUAGE FOR PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND HIS POLICY
OF REPEATED THREATS, BUT VIRTUALLY NO ACTION FOR SO LONG, SEVERAL
PAPERS ARE SAYING THIS LATEST RESPONSE FROM SADDAM HUSSEIN WAS --
PREDICTABLE.
WE GET A SAMPLING NOW FROM _____________ IN TODAY'S OPINION
ROUNDUP.
TEXT: DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN AND HIS BRITISH
COUNTERPART, GEORGE ROBERTSON, HAVE AGREED AT A LONDON MEETING,
THAT FORCE MAY BE USED TO FORCE IRAQ TO RESUME COOPERATION WITH
U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS. MR. COHEN IS ON A HASTILY ARRANGED VISIT
TO EUROPE AND THE PERSIAN GULF TO CONSULT ON SADDAM HUSSEIN'S
LATEST ULTIMATUM. HE HAS ARRIVED IN SAUDI ARABIA, AND WILL GO ON
LATER IN THE WEEK TO KUWAIT.
MEANWHILE, THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL WAS HOLDING PRIVATE TALKS ON
THE IRAQ ISSUE AND IS PREPARING A DRAFT RESOLUTION THAT WOULD
DENOUNCE IRAQ'S SUSPENSION OF COOPERATION.
IN THIS COUNTRY, BOTH SADDAM HUSSEIN AND BILL CLINTON ARE BEING
CRITICIZED, AND WE BEGIN OUR SAMPLING ON NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND,
WHERE "NEWSDAY" SAYS IN ITS EDITORIAL HEADLINE THAT "IRAQ'S
ABROGATION OF ITS WEAPONS-INSPECTION AGREEMENT IS A CRISIS
DEMANDING ACTION," ADDING:
VOICE: IRAQ'S DECISION ...PUTS IT AT ODDS NOT ONLY WITH THE
SECURITY COUNCIL BUT ALSO WITH SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI
ANNAN, WHO NEGOTIATED SADDAM HUSSEIN'S COMPLIANCE IN THE
LAST CRISIS. ... [MR.] HUSSEIN SAYS HE WILL NO LONGER
COOPERATE WITH WEAPONS INSPECTIONS UNLESS THE U-N LIFTS
ALL SANCTIONS AGAINST BAGHDAD. THAT FLOUTS THE BINDING
AGREEMENT HE MADE WITH THE ALLIES WHO DEFEATED HIM IN
THE GULF WAR, WHICH IMPOSES SANCTIONS ON IRAQ UNTIL
INSPECTIONS PROVE CONCLUSIVELY IT HAS DONE AWAY WITH ALL
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. [MR.] HUSSEIN'S RENEWED
DEFIANCE IS BECOMING A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE THAT CANNOT BE
BRUSHED AWAY. ... IRAQ HAS BEEN SIMMERING ON A BACK
BURNER OF [BILL] CLINTON'S FOREIGN -POLICY AGENDA FOR
SOME TIME. NOW BAGHDAD HAS ACTED UP AGAIN, AND [MR.]
CLINTON CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO IGNORE IT.
TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON POST," PUT ITS IDEA FOR A REMEDY TO THE
SITUATION IN CONCISE, FORCEFUL TERMS.
VOICE: THE UNITED STATES MUST RESPOND WITH FORCE IF IRAQ DOES
NOT ALLOW U-N TEAMS -- PASSIVE MONITORS AND SURPRISE
INSPECTORS ALIKE -- TO RESUME THEIR WORK. IT SHOULD
RESPOND AS PART OF A U-N-BACKED ALLIANCE IF POSSIBLE,
ALONE IF NECESSARY. ITS BOMBING CAMPAIGN SHOULD NOT BE
SYMBOLIC BUT DESIGNED TO DESTROY AS MUCH OF SADDAM
HUSSEIN'S CAPABILITY TO MAKE AND USE WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION AS POSSIBLE. YES, EVEN SUCH A SERIOUS
MILITARY EFFORT MIGHT END WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN STILL IN
AND U-N INSPECTORS STILL OUT. THAT IS WHY A SERIOUS
STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH IRAQ MUST INCLUDE A WILLINGNESS TO
BOMB MORE THAN ONCE, IF SADDAM HUSSEIN AGAIN TRIES TO
RECONSTITUTE HIS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. /// OPT
/// THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER
COUNTRIES MEDDLING WITHOUT RIGHT IN IRAQ'S INTERNAL
AFFAIRS. IRAQ BEGAN THIS BY INVADING KUWAIT. ...
HAVING DEFEATED IRAQ'S ARMY, THE UNITED STATES CHOSE TO
ACCEPT, IN PLACE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S TOTAL SURRENDER AND
RELINQUISHING OF POWER, HIS PLEDGE TO DISARM. HIS
FAILURE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS TO HONOR THAT PLEDGE GIVES
THE UNITED NATIONS EVERY RIGHT TO RECONSIDER ITS
MERCIFUL CEASE-FIRE TERMS. /// END OPT ///
TEXT: "THE BOSTON GLOBE" SAYS ALSO IT IS "TIME TO CRACK DOWN ON
SADDAM."
VOICE: /// OPT /// SADDAM, WHO HAS NEVER LACKED FOR AUDACITY,
HAS SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED BY A U-S POLICY
THAT AMOUNTS TO AN INDEFINITE HOLDING ACTION, A
SELF-DELUDING ASSERTION THAT THE COMBINATION OF ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS AND U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS MAY KEEP SADDAM
FOREVER IN A BOX. BUT IT WAS PRESIDENT CLINTON'S
PASSIVITY OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS THAT INDUCED SADDAM
TO SHOW THE WORLD HE CANNOT BE KEPT IN A BOX. /// END
OPT /// IN EFFECT, SADDAM'S OFFICIALS ARE SAYING THAT
IRAQ MUST BE ALLOWED TO KEEP ITS BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL
WEAPONS AS WELL AS THE MISSILES TO DELIVER THEM, AND AT
THE SAME TIME THE IRAQI DICTATOR MUST BE ALLOWED TO SELL
IRAQI OIL, POCKET THE PROCEEDS, AND USE THE MONEY TO
REBUILD HIS MILITARY MACHINE. ... THE TIME FOR
MUDDLING THROUGH HAS LONG PASSED.
TEXT: IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, "THE OREGONIAN" SAYS THAT
ALTHOUGH THE ECONOMIC EMBARGO HAS CAUSED UNDENIABLE HARDSHIPS TO
SADDAM'S PEOPLE, THESE ARE SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS.
VOICE: IT IS INDEED AN OUTRAGE THAT, EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE
WAR'S END, IRAQ IS STILL UNDER CRUSHING ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS, DESTROYING A GENERATION OF IRAQIS. BUT IT'S
AN OUTRAGE LARGELY OF SADDAM'S MAKING, BOTH IN HIS
BLOCKING INSPECTIONS AND IN LIMITING DIRECT OIL-FOR-FOOD
AND MEDICINE SWAPS.
TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES" BLAMES INDECISION AT BOTH THE UNITED
NATIONS AND WHITE HOUSE FOR EMBOLDENING MR. HUSSEIN.
VOICE: WHENEVER MR. HUSSEIN SENSES HESITATION HE MOVES TO GAIN
ADVANTAGE, AND WASHINGTON IS NOW DEALING WITH THE
PREDICTABLE CONSEQUENCE OF ITS DESIRE TO AVOID ANOTHER
CONFRONTATION WITH IRAQ. THE THREAT OF IRAQI CHEMICAL
AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS IS TOO GRAVE TO TREAT EXCLUSIVELY
AS A DIPLOMATIC MATTER, AS THE WHITE HOUSE NOW SEEMS
BELATEDLY TO RECOGNIZE. ... MILITARY ACTION ... MAY BE
NEEDED.
TEXT: THAT CONCLUDES THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM THE U-S
EDITORIAL PAGES ON THE LATEST DEFIANCE OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY BY
IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN.
NEB/ANG/RAE
03-Nov-98 1:14 PM EST (1814 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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