DATE=11/19/98
TYPE=WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-11015
TITLE=ANOTHER CONFRONTATION WITH IRAQ ENDS
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: ANOTHER CONFRONTATION PITTING THE UNITED STATES AND THE
UNITED NATIONS AGAINST SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS ENDED WITHOUT MILITARY
ACTION, AND WITH BAGHDAD AGREEING TO ALLOW RESUMPTION OF U-N
WEAPONS INSPECTIONS.
AROUND THE WORLD, THE PRESS IS LOOKING AT HOW THIS LATEST
SHOWDOWN PLAYED OUT, AND WHAT IS IN STORE FOR THE FUTURE. WE GET
A SAMPLING NOW FROM _________________ IN THIS WEEK'S WORLD
OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: HOW TO DEAL WITH IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN AND HIS
APPARENTLY PERSISTENT DRIVE TO OBTAIN BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND
ATOMIC WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION? THAT IS THE QUESTION THAT
REMAINS FOREMOST IN THE MINDS OF MIDDLE EAST OBSERVERS IN THE
WAKE OF THE LATEST ELEVENTH-HOUR AGREEMENT BETWEEN BAGHDAD AND
WASHINGTON.
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S CALL FOR "A NEW REGIME" IN IRAQ, AND HIS
SUGGESTION THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL HELP VARIOUS DISSIDENT
GROUPS EVENTUALLY TOPPLE MR. HUSSEIN, IS MEETING WITH POSITIVE
REVIEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A SMALLER GROUP OF COMMENTATORS -- TOTALLY
OPPOSED TO THE IDEA OF DEPOSING THE IRAQI LEADER -- WHO FEEL THE
UNITED STATES HAS OVERRIDDEN THE UNITED NATIONS' AUTHORITY IN THE
AREA, BECAUSE IT IS BEING DRIVEN BY WHAT THEY CALL "IMPERIALIST"
DESIGNS ON THE MIDDLE EAST. IN SEVERAL ARAB LANDS, THERE IS A
CALL FOR EITHER AN END TO OR AT LEAST A REASSESSMENT OF THE
SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ.
WE BEGIN OUR SAMPLING ALONG THE GULF, WHERE IN BAHRAIN, MANAMA'S
"AL-AYAM" SUGGESTS IN A COMMENTARY:
VOICE: AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF THE GREATEST FINANCIAL, MORAL,
POLITICAL AND CULTURAL, INVESTMENT PROJECT [CONSPIRACY]
IN HISTORY, THE UNITED STATES IS NAIVELY REPEATING THE
OLD CONUNDRUM OF WHAT IT CAN DO VERSUS WHAT IT WANTS TO
DO. ... THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER THE UNITED STATES
WANTS TO OR CAN CHANGE THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN IRAQ.
THE QUESTION IS, DOES IT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THIS
EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH THE IRAQI OPPOSITION?
TEXT: THE SAME NEWSPAPER'S WEDNESDAY EDITION [11/18] INCLUDED
ANOTHER COMMENTARY THAT SEEMED MORE SUPPORTIVE OF FINDING A
SOLUTION, SUGGESTING:
VOICE: THE ONLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CRISIS WILL NOT BE
REPEATED IS THAT, IN PARALLEL WITH IRAQ'S COOPERATION
WITH THE U-N INSPECTORS, THE U-N-S-C [U-N SECURITY
COUNCIL] SHOULD CARRY OUT A SERIOUS AND COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW THAT LEADS TO LIFTING THE SANCTIONS. THE GULF
AND ARAB COUNTRIES SHOULD SUPPORT SUCH A STEP.
TEXT: IN NEARBY QATAR, THE DOHA DAILY "AL-SHARQ" COMMENTED:
VOICE: WHAT WE DEMAND IS THAT ALL PARTIES FIND A MECHANISM THAT
WILL DEAL IN A CIVILIZED MANNER WITH A HUMAN CATASTROPHE
FROM WHICH A WHOLE NATION IS SUFFERING. STRIKING IRAQ
UNDER THE PRETEXT OF CRIPPLING ITS MILITARY CAPABILITIES
IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE, AFTER UNSCOM TEAMS HAVE SPENT
EIGHT YEARS DESTROYING THESE CAPABILITIES AND AFTER IRAQ
SUFFERED SEVERAL SIMILAR STRIKES UNDER THE SAME PRETEXT.
TEXT: IN EGYPT, CAIRO'S RESPECTED "AL-AHRAM" WRITES:
VOICE: THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE LOGIC BEHIND THIS CRISIS IS THAT
IRAQ ONLY WANTED TO DIRECT THE WORLD'S ATTENTION TO THE
TRAGEDY OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE. ... BUT THIS LOGIC IS
FEEBLE. THE IRAQI LEADERSHIP, WHOSE FOOLISHNESS DROVE
THE COUNTRY TO THIS TRAGEDY, SHOULD START THINKING OF
UNCONVENTIONAL WAYS TO GET OUT OF IT. IRAQ SHOULD OPEN
ITS DOORS WIDE TO INSPECTIONS, UNTIL THE INSPECTORS SAY
"ENOUGH."
TEXT: TURNING TO ASIA NOW, IN DHAKA, THE BANGLADESH "DAILY STAR"
ARGUES:
VOICE: THE ODDS AGAINST [SADDAM] THIS TIME ARE QUITE SERIOUS,
AS BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND THE U-K [UNITED KINGDOM]
HAVE GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR
ALTERNATIVE LEADERSHIP IN IRAQ. AS SADDAM ALLOWS THE
INSPECTIONS TO PROCEED, ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON THE IRAQIS
MUST BEGIN TO BE LIFTED.
TEXT: NEARBY, IN INDIA, "THE HINDU" IN NEW DELHI WRITES:
VOICE: IT IS A SHAME THAT THE SANE VOICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO PERSUADE THE U-N TO LIFT
THE ECONOMIC BLOCKADE OF IRAQ. THERE CAN NO MORE BE
JUSTIFICATION FOR CONTINUING WITH A SANCTIONS REGIME
THAT AIMS TO HURT AN AUTHORITARIAN RULER WHILE IT ENDS
UP PENALIZING INNOCENT PEOPLE.
TEXT: FARTHER EAST NOW, TO THE LAND DOWN UNDER, AUSTRALIA, WHERE
IN MELBOURNE, "THE AGE" SUGGESTS:
VOICE: THE AMERICANS WILL NOW PUT RENEWED EFFORT AND MONEY INTO
BOLSTERING IRAQI OPPOSITION GROUPS, BUT FEW BELIEVE THEY
CAN BE OTHER THAN A MINOR IRRITATION TO THE IRAQI
LEADER. THE OPPOSITION IS DIVIDED, QUICKLY INFILTRATED
BY SADDAM'S SPIES, AND HAS LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT
EVEN SUPPOSEDLY SECRET ASSISTANCE FROM THE C-I-A CAN'T
BE RELIED ON.
TEXT: TO THE NORTH, IN BEIJING, THE OFFICIAL CHINESE NEWSPAPER
"GUANGMING DAILY" PROPOSES:
VOICE: IRAQ WANTED TO UTILIZE THE MIDDLE EAST NATIONS'
DISCONTENT WITH THE UNITED STATES ... TO ATTAIN ITS GOAL
OF REVITALIZING NATIONAL STRENGTH AND SHAKING OFF
SANCTIONS. ... PERSISTENT SANCTIONS ON IRAQ SEEM
UNLIKELY TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED GOALS.
TEXT: "THE HONG KONG STANDARD" SAID IN AN EDITORIAL:
VOICE: IRAQ'S EVER-DEFIANT PRESIDENT ... WILL UNDOUBTEDLY
CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE U-N RESOLUTIONS. ... ON THE U-S
SIDE, THERE APPEARS TO BE A GREATER DETERMINATION AND
READINESS TO LAUNCH ATTACKS AGAINST IRAQ IN AN ATTEMPT
TO BRING SADDAM DOWN. ... CAPITALS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO
MAINTAIN A DIALOGUE WITH BAGHDAD SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO
PREVENT THE ISSUE OF IRAQ FROM FLARING AGAIN.
TEXT: TO JAPAN NOW, AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST PAPERS IN THE WORLD,
TOKYO'S "YOMIURI" WHICH COMMENTED WEDNESDAY [11/18]:
VOICE: ALTHOUGH THE AVOIDANCE OF THE U-S-IRAQ MILITARY
SHOWDOWN WAS PRAISEWORTHY, SADDAM'S REPEATED OBSTRUCTION
OF REJECTION OF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS IS EXTREMELY
PROVOKING AND REGRETTABLE... IRAQ MUST FULLY REALIZE
THAT ITS REPEATED OBSTRUCTION OR REJECTION OF WEAPONS
INSPECTIONS WILL ... MAKE THE CHANCE OF LIFTING ...
SANCTIONS MORE REMOTE.
TEXT: TO AFRICA NOW, FOR A COMMENT FROM THE IVORY COAST IN
ABIDJAN'S "NOTRE VOIE":
VOICE: WITH THIS UMPTEENTH CRISIS, WE UNDERSTAND TO WHAT EXTENT
THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO CONTROL THE ENTIRE WORLD ...
[AND] FOR WHAT REASON DOES THE UNITED STATES WANT TO
DEFEND ANOTHER COUNTRY [KUWAIT] TO THE POINT OF MAKING
THIS A PERSONAL MATTER.
TEXT: IN UGANDA, KAMPALA'S "NEW VISION" SUGGESTED THAT:
VOICE: SANCTIONS WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO OVERTHROW SADDAM
HUSSEIN, BUT THAT HAS NOW BECOME THEIR PURPOSE. THE
LOSER HAS BEEN THE IRAQI PEOPLE, NOT SADDAM HUSSEIN WHO
IS STILL IN POWER. WHEN THE ELEPHANTS FIGHT, IT IS THE
GRASS THAT SUFFERS.
TEXT: AND QUICKLY TO THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, WHERE OUR CANADIAN
NEIGHBORS WERE NOT VERY SUPPORTIVE EITHER, JUDGING FROM "THE
OTTAWA SUN" COMMENT IN A FOREIGN AFFAIRS COLUMN.
VOICE: FEEL-GOOD BOMBING OF IRAQ IS NOT STRATEGY. IT IS
CHILDISH PETULANCE, EXPRESSED WITH B-52S. BRAINPOWER,
NOT FIREPOWER, IS NEEDED. IF THE UNITED STATES CAN SUP
WITH THE DEVIL IN NORTH KOREA OR SERBIA, WHY NOT IRAQ?
AFTER ALL, SADDAM USED TO BE THE WEST'S FAVORITE MIDEAST
S.O.B. [INITIALS FOR THE VULGAR EXPRESSION: SON OF A
BITCH] WHY NOT AGAIN?
TEXT: FAR TO THE SOUTH, IN THE CARIBBEAN NATION OF JAMAICA,
KINGSTON'S "DAILY GLEANER" HAD THIS TO SAY:
VOICE: IRAQ'S DEFIANCE IS NOT ... THE JUST AND HONORABLE
DEFIANCE OF A BELEAGUERED BUT PRINCIPLED STATE. IT IS
... THE DEFIANCE OF A LEADER WHO APPARENTLY CARES VERY
LITTLE ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACTIONS. SADDAM
HUSSEIN NOW CLAIMS JUSTICE, BUT HIS TREATMENT OF THE
UNSCOM INSPECTORS AMOUNTS TO A STRONG DISREGARD FOR THE
UNITED NATIONS. SADDAM CANNOT ASSUME THAT THE UNITED
NATIONS WILL ROLL OVER AND PLAY DEAD, AND, SURELY, MUST
REALIZE THAT HIS ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE
WORLD OPINION ON THE LATEST CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE U-S AND
SADDAM HUSSEIN.
NEB/ANG/WTW
19-Nov-98 5:08 PM EST (2208 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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