DATE= DECEMBER 17, 1998
TYPE= EDITORIAL
NUMBER= 0-08107
TITLE= EDITORIAL: AIR STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ
CONTENT=THIS EDITORIAL IS BEING RELEASED FOR IMMEDIATE USE BY ALL
SERVICES.
ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE
VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
VOICE:
MILITARY ACTIONS ARE UNDERWAY AGAINST IRAQ. AIR STRIKES WERE
LAUNCHED BY THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN BECAUSE OF IRAQI
DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN'S CONTINUED DEFIANCE OF UNITED NATIONS
WEAPONS INSPECTORS. AS PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON SAID, "SADDAM
HUSSEIN MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO THREATEN HIS NEIGHBORS OR THE
WORLD WITH NUCLEAR ARMS, POISON GAS OR BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS."
AT THE END OF THE PERSIAN GULF WAR IN 1991, WEAPONS
INSPECTORS WERE DIRECTED BY THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL TO OVERSEE
THE ELIMINATION OF IRAQ'S ABILITY TO RETAIN, CREATE, OR USE
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. AS PRESIDENT CLINTON POINTED OUT,
SADDAM HAS USED SUCH WEAPONS: "NOT ONCE, BUT REPEATEDLY.
UNLEASHING CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST IRANIAN TROOPS DURING A
DECADE-LONG WAR. NOT ONLY AGAINST SOLDIERS, BUT AGAINST
CIVILIANS. FIRING SCUD MISSILES AT THE CITIZENS OF ISRAEL, SAUDI
ARABIA, BAHRAIN AND IRAN. AND NOT ONLY AGAINST A FOREIGN ENEMY
BUT EVEN AGAINST HIS OWN PEOPLE, GASSING KURDISH CIVILIANS IN
NORTHERN IRAQ."
LAST MONTH, THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL VOTED TO CONDEMN
SADDAM'S DEFIANCE OF THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS. EIGHT ARAB NATIONS
-- EGYPT, SYRIA, SAUDI ARABIA, KUWAIT, BAHRAIN, QATAR, UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES AND OMAN -- WARNED THAT IRAQ ALONE WOULD BEAR
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF DEFYING THE U-N. AS U.S.
AND BRITISH FORCES WERE SET TO LAUNCH AIR STRIKES IN
MID-NOVEMBER, SADDAM AGREED TO COOPERATE WITH U-N WEAPONS
INSPECTORS. BUT ON DECEMBER 15TH, CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR
RICHARD BUTLER TOLD THE U-N THAT IRAQ IS STILL NOT COOPERATING.
HE SAID THE INSPECTORS ARE "NOT ABLE TO CONDUCT THE WORK
MANDATED. . .WITH RESPECT TO IRAQ'S PROHIBITED WEAPONS PROGRAM."
AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID, "IF SADDAM DEFIES THE WORLD AND WE
FAIL TO RESPOND, WE WILL FACE A FAR GREATER THREAT IN THE FUTURE.
SADDAM WILL STRIKE AGAIN AT HIS NEIGHBORS. HE WILL MAKE WAR ON
HIS OWN PEOPLE. AND. . .HE WILL DEVELOP WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION. HE WILL DEPLOY THEM, AND HE WILL USE THEM. BECAUSE
WE ARE ACTING TODAY," SAID PRESIDENT CLINTON, "IT IS LESS LIKELY
THAT WE WILL FACE THESE DANGERS IN THE FUTURE."
ANNCR:
THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT. IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS,
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR FAX US AT (202)
619-1043.
17-Dec-98 12:02 PM EST (1702 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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