DATE=11/26/98
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-11026
TITLE=MORE CONFLICT WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: IT HAS BEEN ONLY A FEW DAYS SINCE THE UNITED STATES AND
BRITAIN CALLED OFF A MILITARY ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ BECAUSE OF THAT
COUNTRY'S REFUSAL TO ABIDE BY THE WEAPONS MONITORING AGREEMENT IT
SIGNED WITH THE UNITED NATIONS.
NOW, AFTER SADDAM HUSSEIN AGREED TO RESUME THE CRITICAL
INSPECTIONS OF HIS BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL, AND ATOMIC WEAPONS
DEVELOPMENT, ANOTHER DISPUTE HAS ARISEN. AND IN THE UNITED
STATES PRESS, THERE ARE CALLS FOR AN END TO PATIENCE WITH THE
IRAQI LEADER.
WE GET A SAMPLING NOW FROM ________________ IN TODAY'S U-S
OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: THE CHIEF OF THE UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL COMMISSION TO
INVESTIGATE SADDAM HUSSEIN'S WEAPONS SITUATION, RICHARD BUTLER,
HAS ASKED TO SEE SOME DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE NUMBER OF WEAPONS
IRAQ HAD AT THE END OF THE 1991 GULF WAR.
SO FAR, THE IRAQIS HAVE SAID THE DOCUMENTS HAVE EITHER BEEN
HANDED OVER PREVIOUSLY, ARE NOT RELEVANT TO THE INSPECTIONS, HAVE
BEEN LOST, OR NEVER EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WESTERN LEADERS, ESPECIALLY PRESIDENT CLINTON, SAY THE LATEST
STALEMATE DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE PREVIOUSLY
POSTPONED ALL-OUT ATTACK. BUT MANY IN THE U-S PRESS ARE RAPIDLY
RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE WITH THE IRAQI LEADER, AS WE SEE IN THESE
SAMPLES, BEGINNING WITH "THE NEW YORK POST."
VOICE: SAY THIS FOR BILL CLINTON: NO ONE DRAWS A LINE IN THE
SAND LIKE HE DOES -- OR BLINKS AS QUICKLY WHEN THAT LINE
IS CROSSED. JUST ONE WEEK AFTER PUBLICLY WARNING SADDAM
HUSSEIN THAT 'EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS THE LAST
GO-AROUND' -- WITH MILITARY FORCE THE SOLE REMAINING
OPTION -- THE ADMINISTRATION HAS GRANTED THE IRAQI
DESPOT YET ANOTHER REPRIEVE. IN RETURN, WASHINGTON GETS
... WELL, NO ONE IS REALLY SURE. THIS PRESIDENT HAS
PROVEN HIMSELF A MASTER AT UNDERMINING U-S CREDIBILITY
ABROAD. ... ALTHOUGH HE OPENLY ADMITS THAT THE IRAQ
CRISIS WILL NEVER BE SOLVED UNTIL SADDAM HUSSEIN IS
TOPPLED FROM POWER, [MR.] CLINTON IS RELUCTANT TO TAKE
ANY REAL STEPS TO ACHIEVE THAT AIM. INSTEAD, HE PINS
ALL HIS HOPES ON A RESISTANCE MOVEMENT THAT BARELY
EXISTS. NO WONDER THE IRAQI LEADER FEELS CONFIDENT IN
DEFYING [SUCH] A PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN STILL
THREATENS THE STABILITY OF THE ENTIRE GULF REGION. AND
IF, THANKS TO THIS PRESIDENT'S LACK OF RESOLVE, HE EVER
GETS THE CHANCE TO UNLEASH WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION,
THE DEATH TOLL FROM THAT CARNAGE WILL -- AND SHOULD --
BE LAID AT THE FEET OF [BLAMED ON] WILLIAM JEFFERSON
CLINTON.
TEXT: ASSESSING THE PROSPECTS OF TOPPLING SADDAM HUSSEIN FROM
WITHIN, BY A COMBINATION OF THE KURDS IN THE NORTH, AND SHI'ITE
MOSLEMS, KNOWN AS MARSH ARABS IN THE FAR SOUTH AS CURRENTLY
IMPROBABLE, "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" NEVERTHELESS,
SUGGESTS ITS CRITICAL FOR THE WEST TO MATCH HIS RESOLVE.
VOICE: SADDAM HUSSEIN STILL CAN NOT RESIST TWEAKING [SQUEEZING]
THE NOSE OF THE WORLD'S POLICEMEN. ... THIS TIME IT IS
DOCUMENTS THAT WOULD CONFIRM THE WEAPONRY IRAQ HAD ON
HAND IN THE LATE 1980'S. THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT SAYS THIS
INFORMATION WOULD BREACH THE COUNTRY'S SECURITY. BUT
THAT SEEMS AN ODD ARGUMENT FOR A COUNTRY FACING OFFICIAL
AND INTENSIVE INTERNATIONAL SCRUTINY -- TO SAY NOTHING
OF THE THREAT OF CRUISE MISSILES AND BOMBS IF
NONCOOPERATION PERSISTS. THE DOCUMENTS MUST BE
PRODUCED,AND THE INSPECTION PROCESS SHOULD MOVE FORWARD.
THAT IS THE ONLY PATH TOWARD AN END TO THE U-N SANCTIONS
THAT HAVE REDUCED IRAQ'S ECONOMY TO A RUSTED-OUT WRECK.
... SADDAM IS TENACIOUS. THOSE INSPECTING ARMS
FACILITIES, SUSTAINING SANCTIONS, TENDING ALLIANCES --
AND, YES, KEEPING FORCES ON ALERT -- HAVE TO BE EVEN
MORE SO.
TEXT: IN SOUTH FLORIDA, "THE MIAMI HERALD" IS EQUALLY
FRUSTRATED.
VOICE: A WEEK AFTER IRAQ PLEDGED TO COOPERATE WITH UNITED
NATIONS INSPECTORS, AND THEREBY AVOIDED A U-S MILITARY
STRIKE, ITS FOREIGN MINISTER DENIED A DEMAND FOR
DOCUMENTS ABOUT THE IRAQI ARMS PROGRAM. ... IRAQ'S
CLAIM TO HAVE TURNED OVER ALL DATA IS DISINGENUOUS; AND
ITS MOTIVE IS TRANSPARENT. SADDAM HUSSEIN'S REAL INTENT
IS TO BUY TIME BY CHANGING THE TERMS OF THE DISCUSSION.
IF IRAQ CAN PERSUADE MEMBERS OF THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL
THAT IT IS CONTINUING TO COOPERATE, IT WINS ON TWO
COUNTS: IT AVOIDS A MILITARY ATTACK BY U-S AND BRITISH
FORCES, WHICH ARE POISED TO STRIKE; AND IT KEEPS INTACT
THE MOST-GUARDED SECRETS OF ITS BIOLOGICAL-AND
CHEMICAL-WEAPONS PROGRAM. ... PRESIDENT CLINTON SHOULD
REITERATE TO IRAQ THAT IS HAS BUT ONE SAFE OPTION:
UNCONDITIONAL COOPERATION.
TEXT: IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, "THE OREGONIAN" IN PORTLAND SAYS
MR. CLINTON'S CREDIBILITY IS NOW IN QUESTION, AS IRAQ BEGINS TO
HAMPER THE WORK OF THE JUST-RETURNED U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION TEAM.
VOICE: LAST TIME, SADDAM WAITED SIX-MONTHS BEFORE HE
PRECIPITATED A NEW CRISIS ... MAYBE HE THINKS HE HAS
LEARNED SOMETHING ABOUT [PRESIDENT] CLINTON AND THE WILL
OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. ... LET US HOPE SADDAM
HAS LEARNED WRONG. .... THE PRESIDENT SAID U-S MILITARY
FORCES WOULD REMAIN IN THE REGION TO SEE THAT SADDAM
KEPT HIS WORD. WELL, HE HAS NOT. SADDAM HAS LEFT
[PRESIDENT] CLINTON WITH EVERY JUSTIFICATION FOR
LAUNCHING AN ATTACK ON IRAQI TARGETS.
TEXT: IN AN EDITORIAL ENTITLED "INCORRIGIBLE IRAQ" "THE NEW YORK
TIMES" MAKES THE POINT:
VOICE: IRAQ IS IMPLAUSIBLY CONTENDING THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE
MOST OF THE WEAPONS DOCUMENTS THE INSPECTORS HAVE ASKED
TO SEE AND ITS WITHHOLDING THOSE IT HAS. ... IF BAGHDAD
IS BACK TO ITS FAMILIAR GAME OF THWARTING THE SEARCH FOR
BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND BANNED MISSILES ...
WASHINGTON WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REDUCE IRAQ'S
ARSENAL .... BY MILITARY FORCE.
TEXT: "THE BOSTON GLOBE" SUGGESTS IF PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN
DOES NOT COMPLY QUICKLY WITH THE U-N REQUESTS, THE U-S SHOULD
ATTACK, HITTING BOTH HIS WEAPONS FACILITIES AND ALSO THE MILITARY
FORCES KEEPING HIM IN POWER.
/// OPT ///
VOICE: THIS IS WHAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. ... YET HERE
WE GO AGAIN. SADDAM IS REFUSING TO GIVE INSPECTORS THE
DOCUMENTS THEY REQUIRE, AND THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION
IS EQUIVOCATING. ... THIS IS A GAME THAT [MR.] CLINTON
CANNOT GO ON PLAYING WITH SADDAM. THERE CAN NO LONGER
BY ANY ILLUSIONS ABOUT SADDAM'S DETERMINATION TO RETAIN
HIS STOCKS OF ANTHRAX, BOTULISM TOXINS, V-X NERVE GAS,
AND ... NUCLEAR WEAPONS... UNLESS SADDAM HUSSEIN
COMPLIES FULLY, AND RIGHT NOW, [PRESIDENT] CLINTON
SHOULD ASK THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS AND ALL OTHER
POTENTIAL HOSTAGES TO LEAVE ... THEN, THE UNITED STATES
SHOULD AIM ITS SMART BOMBS AND MISSILES NOT ONLY AT ...
SADDAM'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, BUT ALSO AT
TARGETS CRUCIAL TO HIS CRIMINAL REGIME.
/// OPT ///
TEXT: "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" MAKES ITS OPINION KNOWN IN ITS
LEAD EDITORIAL HEADLINE TODAY, WHICH READS: "CLEAR CASE FOR
HITTING IRAQ."
VOICE: HOW MANY MORE TIMES WILL THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY
COUNCIL, WITH AMERICAN CONCURRENCE, STERNLY ADMONISH
IRAQ THAT IT MUST LIVE UP TO ITS OFTEN GIVEN AND JUST AS
OFTEN BROKEN PROMISES TO COOPERATE FULLY WITH U-N
INSPECTORS AS THEY TRY TO FIND THE WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION SADDAM HUSSEIN CONTINUES TO HIDE? ... THE
CASE FOR TAKING MILITARY ACTION DOES NOT HAVE TO BE
JUSTIFIED AGAIN. IT DERIVES FROM IRAQ'S RECORD OF THE
LAST SEVEN YEARS. ... THAT IS ALL THE JUSTIFICATION THE
PRESIDENT NEEDS TO ORDER PUNITIVE AIRSTRIKES.
/// END OPT ///
TEXT: THAT ENDS THIS SAMPLING OF THE LATEST EDITORIAL OPINION
ABOUT THE MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ON-GOING STRUGGLE BY
THE UNITED NATIONS TO DETERMINE THE EXTEND OF IRAQ'S WEAPONS
STOCKPILE, AND PRODUCTION CAPABILITY.
NEB/ANG/RAE
26-Nov-98 2:19 PM EST (1919 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
