Posted on 09/26/2002 5:12:06 PM PDT by tomball
TRANSCRIPT: IRAQ MUST COMPLY WITH UNSC RESOLUTIONS, SAYS ALBRIGHT (Secstate notes Bahrain's support in Iraqi crisis) Manama, Bahrain -- "Saddam Hussein, armed with chemical and biological weapons, is a threat to the international community. But it is a profoundly dangerous threat to the nations of the Persian Gulf and the entire Middle East," Secretary of State Madeleine Albright asserted February 3."Saddam does not discriminate in the use of his weapons. Saudis, Kuwaitis, Bahrainis, Iranians, Israelis and Iraqis have all been his targets. We must stop Saddam from threatening any people of this region with weapons of mass destruction again," she said at a press briefing with Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Muhammad Bin Mubarak al Khalifa.
Albright said "the Amir agrees with the United States that diplomatic options are quickly running out, and that soon we will be forced to make some hard decisions. Diplomacy remains our preferred option. But the standard for a real diplomatic solution must be full compliance with the Security Council and unconditional, unfettered access for UN weapons inspections."
The Secretary said that throughout this trip, she has found "unanimous agreement on the fact that Saddam Hussein must fulfill his obligations imposed upon him by the Security Council, that it is essential to have unfettered, unconditional access to the sites by UNSCOM, that whatever comes of this if diplomacy fails and military action is necessary, that Saddam Hussein is responsible for the grave consequences.
"I have had I think very positive support, whether it's from King Hussein or from the Amir here, or Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, for what we are seeking. And I think that we believe that we will have all the cooperation we need across the board," she said.
She stressed that the United States has no quarrel with the Iraqi people. "We do not wish to see women and children used as human shields. We do not wish to see people sick and hungry. The U.S. wrote the UN resolution permitting Iraq to sell oil for food and medicine. Now we want to expand it so more food and medicine can be provided more effectively to the Iraqi people," she said, adding, "But nothing will change our determination to thwart Saddam from ever threatening this region with weapons of mass destruction again."
Albright noted that this year marks 50 years of relations and friendship between the United States and Bahrain and she expressed the appreciation of the U.S. for Bahrain's support in this time of crisis.
PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT AND BAHRAINI FOREIGN MINISTER SHAIKH MUHAMMAD BIN MUBARAK AL KHALIFA Sheraton Hotel Manama, Bahrain February 3, 1998
Yet Maddy considers the foul administration she served "sound".
Disgraceful, the lot of them.
This is looking more and more like a Rat set-piece operation all the time. They planned this drumbeat.
The question is why?
Remember this, to Colin Powell?
"What's the point of having this superb military that you're always talking about if we can't use it?"
Albright Hits Back at Critics of Iraq Policy 9/98
WASHINGTON Secretary of State Madeleine Albright hit back Wednesday at critics who accuse the United States of weakness on Iraq, insisting that Washington is ready to use force against Baghdad if necessary.
"We have not taken any option off the table, including military force ... The bottom line is that if Iraq tries to break out of its strategic box, our response will be strong and swift,'' she told American war veterans in New Orleans....
ALBRIGHT - CIA - RICHARD PERLE: THE IRAQ QUESTION 11/98
Sec State Madeleine Albright was interviewed by Margaret Warner on the Jim Lehrer Newshour, yesterday. Warner asked whether the impending US strike meant the administration had concluded that the UNSCOM inspection regime was over. Albright replied, "The inspection regime has not been working for eight of the last twelve months. And I think one of our concerns is we can't think that something is working when it is not. That is dangerous."
Wasn't that Scott Ritter's point--"the illusion of arms control is more dangerous than no arms control at all," as Ritter wrote in his Aug 26 resignation letter [see "Iraq News" Aug 28], and subsequently.
Warner also asked, "If air strikes are launched, what will be achieved?" Albright replied, "Well, let me just make the following point: There are people-UNSCOM is not working now. We are very concerned about what is happening in terms of [Saddam's] weapons of mass destruction. . . If in fact, we do take an action of force, it will be designed in order to degrade his ability to develop and deliver weapons of mass destruction and prevent him also or make it less possible for him to upset the neighborhood."
Subsequently, Warner asked, "But the head of the special commission, Richard Butler, and many other experts in this field, have said really that even after massive air strikes, a country like Iraq, with the know-how to make these biological weapons and chemical weapons, can really reconstitute them pretty quickly." Albright replied, "Well, we know that." ....
....Richard Perle, Reagan Asst Sec Def, on CNN's Cross-Fire, yesterday, argued that getting rid of Saddam was the only way to get rid of the proscribed weapons. Perle said that he was afraid the administration had in mind another set of pinprick attacks with fancy weapons which would not have a decisive result. He noted that the administration still would not say that its policy was to get rid of Saddam-to help Iraqis who want to liberate their country. When the administration said that, Perle suggested, the US would have a policy toward Iraq. Bob Novak ended the program, proposing that he suggest an idea to Perle upon which the two might agree. Novak said the administration wanted to carry out its strike on Iraq without convening Congress to consider the matter or having a public debate on the issue. Perle readily agreed.
Albright Dismisses Critics Of Air Strikes On Iraq 12/98
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright Wednesday scornfully dismissed countries like France and Russia that oppose military action against Iraq.
"The truth is they have no (other) answers as to how to make (the Iraqis) comply'' with U.N. Security Council disarmament demands, she told a Wednesday night news briefing.
"And the bottom line is that it would be very nice if those who do not support our approach had an approach that worked.'' ...
Finally, U.S. Imports Oil from Iraq, but it's news to Albright
She offered this as to why the Clinton administration was justified in attacking Iraq. One young man asked Albright why the United States is willing to attack Iraq while ignoring actions by other countries. Albright responded, "No one has done what Saddam Hussein has done, or is thinking of doing. He is producing weapons of mass destruction, and he is qualitatively and quantitatively different from other dictators
And of course she and the Clinton administration did nothing but left the mess for Bush to clean up !!
"Hold your horses, Bill...I'm almost done swallowing...then we'll go for 'Round Two'"
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.