13 November 1998
US TO IRAQ: "REVERSE COURSE OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES"
(SecState discusses crisis at 11/13/98 briefing) (550) By Jane A. Morse USIA Diplomatic Correspondent Washington -- After months of intensive diplomatic efforts to persuade Iraq to comply with United Nations demands, the United States has one simple message to the recalcitrant government of Saddam Hussein, according to Secretary of State Albright: "reverse course or face the consequences." The Secretary of State reiterated that message during a November 13 briefing at the State Department shortly before she left Washington for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where she will attend a meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum. The basis for the current crisis with Iraq, the Secretary said, is that "Saddam Hussein cannot have two incompatible goals, which is to have sanctions lifted and retain his capability to have weapons of mass destruction." She said the United States wants a peaceful outcome that gets the United Nations Special Commission in Iraq (UNSCOM) back on the job of inspecting suspected Iraqi weapons sites. But she warned that the United States is "prepared to act if that doesn't happen. "For months we have said that every option was on the table," she said. "Unfortunately, one by one, the diplomatic options have been rebuffed." Albright said that the United States, along with "every law-abiding nation" has not only "the right but also the responsibility to do what it can to see that Saddam Hussein does not again threaten world peace." The Secretary pointed out that United Nations inspectors have not been able to fully resolve questions regarding Iraq's nuclear, biological and chemical weapons programs and its ability to deliver those weapons via missiles or other means. She said that the United Nations Security Council has "repeatedly offered to give Iraq what it has requested, which is a comprehensive review of its obligations, provided it first rescinds its decision publicly and resumes full cooperation with UNSCOM." She also noted that Egypt, Syria, and the six Arab states that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council issued a statement on November 12 that "explicitly holds Saddam responsible for his defiance of the international will...." If the United States chooses to use a military strike to force Iraq to comply with international demands, Albright said, its objective would be "to degrade his capacity to develop and deliver weapons of mass destruction and to degrade his ability to threaten his neighbors." While declining to discuss US targeting plans if a military strike is carried out, Albright expressed American concern for possible civilian casualties. President Clinton, she noted, "wants to make sure that there are as few civilian casualties as possible," adding that "I just want to assure everyone that that is something that we are deeply concerned about, and we have considered that very carefully as we have looked at plans." Albright also noted that the United States is looking forward "to working with a post-Saddam regime, and we'll be working even more actively with the opposition groups." The Secretary pointed out that the US Congress has passed and the President has signed a law that allows "more intensive activity" in helping Iraqi opposition groups. "And we will pursue that," she said.
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