DATE=11/12/98
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-11004
TITLE=DEALING WITH SADDAM
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: WITH ADDITIONAL U-S FORCES STEAMING OR FLYING TOWARD THE
GULF IN PREPARATION FOR ANOTHER POSSIBLE MILITARY CONFRONTATION
WITH IRAQ'S MILITARY DICTATOR, SADDAM HUSSEIN, THE AMERICAN PRESS
IS FILLED WITH COMMENTS ABOUT THE SITUATION.
WE ARE JOINED NOW BY _____________ WHO HAS A SAMPLING OF THE
LATEST, IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: /// OPT /// AS THE WEEK DRAWS TO A CLOSE, THE UNITED
STATES CONTINUES TO BUILD UP ITS MILITARY FORCES IN THE VICINITY
OF IRAQ, SENDING A POWERFUL SIGNAL THAT TIME IS SHORT FOR SADDAM
HUSSEIN TO REINSTATE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS OR FACE THE
CONSEQUENCES. /// END OPT ///
FOR THE U-S PRESS, IT APPEARS MOSTLY BUT NOT ENTIRELY, IN FAVOR
OF PROCEEDING WITH A MILITARY OPTION, AS THE BEST OF A BAD SET OF
OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THE CLINTON WHITE HOUSE. WE BEGIN OUR
SAMPLING IN THE WESTERN STATE OF NEBRASKA, WHERE "THE OMAHA
WORLD-HERALD," THE STATE'S LARGEST DAILY, SUGGESTS THAT OPTIONS
ARE FEW.
VOICE: ONCE AGAIN, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN
MANEUVERED INTO A POSITION IN WHICH FEW ATTRACTIVE
OPTIONS ARE LEFT FOR DEALING WITH IRAQ. /// OPT ///
LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S APPROACH
WERE RAISED LAST FEBRUARY WHEN [MR.] CLINTON THREATENED
TO USE AIR STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ. [PRESIDENT] CLINTON
WAS UPSET WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN'S REFUSAL TO LET UNITED
NATIONS ARMS INSPECTORS DO THEIR JOB. ... THINGS DIDN'T
GET BETTER. /// END OPT /// ... BY BACKING OFF WHEN
SADDAM PUSHED, GIVING GROUND IN THE FACE OF HIS
CHALLENGES TO THE INSPECTION TEAM, THE ADMINISTRATION
MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE THE IRAQI THREAT. THE
FACT THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS NO BETTER POLICY NOW
THAN IT DID IN FEBRUARY IS AN INDICATION OF HOW BADLY
THE SITUATION HAS BEEN HANDLED.
TEXT: "THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE" CALLS FOR ONE LAST TRY AT
DIPLOMACY BEFORE THE BOMBS ARE ORDERED TO FALL.
VOICE: BEFORE [PRESIDENT] CLINTON UNLEASHES THE DOGS OF WAR, HE
MUST EXHAUST DIPLOMACY AND PERSUADE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
AND OUR U-N ALLIES - - MANY OF WHOM OPPOSE MILITARY
ACTION - - THAT IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT IRAQ
FROM DEFYING THE U-N AND TERRORIZING THE PERSIAN GULF
REGION. /// OPT /// IN THE END, IF AN ATTACK IS
LAUNCHED IT SHOULD NOT BE A MERE SHOW OF FORCE. IT
SHOULD BE A STRIKE WITH THE POWER AND DURATION NECESSARY
TO TAKE OUT SADDAM'S ABILITY TO USE THESE WEAPONS OF
MASS DESTRUCTION ONCE AND FOR ALL. /// END OPT ///
TEXT: AS FAR AS "THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS" IS CONCERNED, THE
OPTIONS -- OTHER THAN MILITARY FORCE -- HAVE JUST ABOUT BEEN
EXHAUSTED, AS IT PROCLAIMS:
VOICE: ... WHAT IS THERE TO THINK ABOUT, OTHER THAN THE
PLANNING OF A SERIOUS MILITARY RESPONSE? /// OPT /// THE
IRAQI DICTATOR'S DECISION TO TOSS OUT THE EXISTING
AGREEMENT FOR ARMS INSPECTIONS, BROKERED BY U-N
SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN A FEW MONTHS AGO, SAYS IT
ALL: SADDAM IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED IN DIPLOMACY; HE
UNDERSTANDS ONLY THE USE OF FORCE. SEEING THE FUTILITY
OF THE ENTERPRISE, ALL U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS HAVE LEFT
IRAQ. /// END OPT /// ... THE USE OF FORCE MUST BE
SUSTAINED AND MASSIVE. THE GOALS SHOULD BE TO PREVENT
SADDAM FROM RECONSTITUTING HIS WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION AND MAKING HIM UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A
HUGE PRICE TO PAY FOR HIS DEADLY MISCHIEF. A TIMID
APPROACH WILL NOT DO.
TEXT: WRITING IN "THE WASHINGTON TIMES," JAMES ANDERSON, A
FORMER ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY IN
QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, AND CURRENTLY A NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST AT
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION IN WASHINGTON, ARGUES FOR OTHER,
NON-MILITARY OPTIONS:
VOICE: /// OPT /// UNFORTUNATELY, ANOTHER 'TOMAHAWK CHOP' (I.E.
U-S CRUISE MISSILE ATTACK) IS UNLIKELY TO COW (I.E.
FRIGHTEN) SADDAM HUSSEIN INTO GOOD BEHAVIOR OR DESTROY
HIS ABILITY TO MANUFACTURE BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND
POSSIBLY EVEN NUCLEAR WEAPONS. /// END OPT /// ... A
U-S-LED EFFORT TO DEPOSE SADDAM STANDS A BETTER CHANCE
OF WORKING THAN MORE U-N MEDDLING. ... SINCE THE UNITED
STATES HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED NO-FLY ZONES OVER
NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN IRAQ, THE NEXT STEP SHOULD BE TO
RECOGNIZE A PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT IN THE NORTH, WHERE
ANTI-SADDAM SENTIMENT REMAINS HIGH. /// OPT/// THE
UNITED STATES SHOULD INCREASE ITS SUPPORT FOR A SPECIAL
TRIBUNAL TO INVESTIGATE IRAQI WAR CRIMES AND BOLSTER
RADIO FREE IRAQ AS WELL. /// END OPT ///
TEXT: "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE" SAYS THE GOAL OF U-S POLICY SHOULD
BE RE-ESTABLISHING THE UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTIONS OF
IRAQ'S POTENTIAL WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
VOICE: /// OPT /// THE ENDGAME FOR THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE
TO RESTORE THE U-N INSPECTION REGIME AIMED AT RIDDING
IRAQ OF ALL BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
SADDAM'S OCTOBER 31[ST] SUSPENSION OF ALL COOPERATION
WITH U-N INSPECTORS VIRTUALLY SHUT DOWN THE OPERATION,
BUT THE IRAQI LEADER HAS NOT ALLOWED THE MONITORS TO
OPERATE EFFECTIVELY FOR EIGHT OF THE LAST 12 MONTHS
ANYWAY. /// END OPT /// ... [PRESIDENT] CLINTON SHOULD
CONTINUE TO CALMLY FORMULATE HIS STRATEGY AND LET U-N
SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN TRY THROUGH DIPLOMACY TO
GET SADDAM'S COMPLIANCE, AS HE SUCCESSFULLY DID IN LAST
FEBRUARY'S CRISIS.
TEXT: LASTLY, "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE MAKES THIS ARGUMENT ON
BEHALF OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE AND THE LIFTING OF SANCTIONS.
VOICE: SOME SYMPATHY IS DUE MR. HUSSEIN'S DEMANDS FOR AN END TO
SANCTIONS, WHICH IMPOVERISH THE IRAQI PEOPLE. SANCTIONS
SHOULD END WHEN THEIR ORIGINAL TERMS ARE MET AND WEAPONS
OF MASS DESTRUCTION ARE DESTROYED. THEY SHOULD NOT
BE KEPT ON UNTIL THE DICTATOR IS GONE ...
TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF RECENT U-S
PRESS EDITORIALS ON HOW THE CONFRONTATION WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN
OVER CANCELLATION OF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS SHOULD BE HANDLED.
NEB/ANG/GE
12-Nov-98 2:27 PM EST (1927 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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