<b>Time for Resolve not Relief - Iraqi Charade Begins</b>

efreedomnews.com ^ | 9/16/2002 | Jonathan Rhodes

[efnwriter]

efreedomnews         WAR ON TERRORISM - AN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE

War on Iraq:   Time for Resolve not Relief - Iraqi Charade Begins
Jonathan Rhodes September 16, 2002

Brought to the brink of war, surrounded by US troops readying their invasion, with European, Arab and Asian nations responding to President Bush's September 12 UN Speech and pressuring Iraq to allow the return of weapons inspectors,  the Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri delivered a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that reportedly said Iraq will allow the weapons inspectors to return.

The details of the letter are available. Yet, amazingly Kofi Annan said to the press,

"I can confirm to you that I have received a letter from the Iraqi authorities conveying this decision to allow the return of inspectors without conditions to continue their work."

This is a lie.

"I am now passing the letter on to the Security Council and they will have to decide what they do next, and of course Mr. Hans Blix and his team will be ready to continue their work."

Annan gave credit to President Bush saying,

"I believe the president's speech galvanized the international community."

Indeed, since President Bush's September 12 UN Speech:

French President Jacques Chirac proposed a two-resolution plan giving Baghdad three weeks to readmit arms inspectors, then if the inspectors were not let in a second resolution should back the use of force against Iraq.

Russia  agreed to put pressure on Baghdad to allow UN weapons inspectors to return to Iraq.

Saudi Arabia agreed to allow use of Saudi US bases to attack Iraq if approved by the UN:  Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said: "Every country that has signed the UN charter" is bound by decisions of the Security Council. Asked if the US would be able to use the Prince Sultan air base, he replied: "Everybody is obliged to follow through".

 Cairo has called on Iraq to allow the unconditional return of UN weapons inspectors.
President Mubarak said Iraq should "seize the opportunity" to "avoid serious repercussions".

The Arab League, and its Secretary-General Amr Moussa  were singled out by Kofi Annan "for his strenuous efforts in helping to convince Iraq to allow the return of the inspectors."

Saddam has played with the UN for 12 years and ignored or backed out of 16 prior UN resolutions he had agreed to.

Here is Saddam's gambit: (from Sabri's letter)

"...the decision by the Government of the Republic of Iraq is the indispensable first step towards an assurance that Iraq no longer possesses weapons of mass destruction and, equally importantly, towards a comprehensive solution that includes the lifting of the sanctions imposed on Iraq and the timely implementation of the other provisions of the relevant Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 687 (1991).

To this end, the Government of the Republic of Iraq is ready to discuss the practical arrangements necessary for the immediate resumption of inspections.

Saddam has again linked inspections to lifting sanctions and is only ready to discuss arrangements. Nothing new here.

This is a charade. Saddam is stalling for time. The appeasement crowd will crow at how wonderfully peace loving Saddam is so they can complete their reconstruction and oil deals with Iraq. The Arabs will seek their despotic status quo in the middle east, and an unyielding US Bush administration will be cast as the brutish warmonger by a liberal US and international press.

We will have none of that. Let us remind the world that:

Since 1990, Saddam has:

• Ignored or circumvented all 16 UN Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq and 30 UN Security Council Presidential Statements regarding Iraq;
• Continued to pursue WMD's;
• Practiced systematic human rights violations including intentional torture, rape, decapitation, political prisoner executions, ethnic cleansing, child abuse, torture forced military training, forced child labor; support, refuge and amnesty of international terrorists and  terrorist groups; execution, torture and imprisonment of POW's
• Refused to respond to UN, Saudi and Kuwaiti  requests regarding information on 605 Coalition POW's from Gulf War I, 5,000 Iranian POW's and 11,000 missing from the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait.
• Destroyed or refused to return military and personal property stolen from Kuwait during the occupation.
• Violated UN Economic Sanctions,  diverted dual-use items obtained under the Oil for Food program for military and WMD construction purposes

The "unfettered" return of weapons inspectors is one issue. Saddam has not changed his prior stance of linking inspections to removal of sanctions and has only agreed to discussions on implementation of inspections - which have already taken place and failed.

Saddam will play it out as long as possible - after all he wants to stay in power. He will stall, dodge and weave and try to negotiate. Do not be surprised if Israel's Yom Kippur becomes a terrorism orgy supported by Saddam to divert attention away from him.

Be very surprised if Hans Blix and UNMOVIC can quickly have their way in Iraq.

Now is the time for resolve - not relief.

[whadizit]

Pffftt! Kofi is so completely incompetent. The UN is so completely incompetent. Even Clintoon said sanctions should not be lifted as long as this regime is in power - I believe this was in 1997 or 1998. Daschle & Co. are so completely incompetent. I hope to goodness U.S. won't fall for this Iraqi deception. There is a major problem with Hans Blix, anyway. We have to pick the inspectors if we do allow this and back them up with threat of force. I still don't think inspectors can find them.

[GVnana]

Well, well. So Kofi Annan comes off like he's saving the world, but doesn't tell the world the whole story. Hope the administration nails this turkey in the morning.

[goldstategop]

Yup... read the fine print in the letter from Saddam's flackey.... It says Saddam is willing to agree to resume inspections.... IF and only IF sanctions imposed on the Iraqi regime are lifted FIRST AND IF Iraq is given the carte blanche to decide how the inspections will be carried out on its territory. In effect, Iraq is saying "NO" unless the international community surrenders first. The U.S is not falling for this ruse. I hope we will continue to implement plans to effect the much needed "regime change" over in Mesopotamia - and soon.

[sleavelessinseattle]

Read the Fine Print Ping. This is totally different than what the mainstream media put out about this "unconditional" acceptance of inspections...

[dennisw]

Stumble bum Kofi Annan is Saddam's willing stooge. Kofi gave much credit to the stinking Arab league for this "concession" by Iraq and the Ay-rabs in turn deposited much money in Kofi's Swiss bank account.

Retirement money for Kofi and his Swedish wife. Will Kofi retire in Africa (his beloved 3rd world) or the French Riviera? Inquiring folks want to know.

[exnavy]

This "inspection" thing is a charade, watch to see Saddamn pull the rug right from under Kofis' feet.

[dennisw]

Our buildup will continue. We will not be snookered by stumble bum Kofi Annan and by Saddam Hussein. Just won't happen.

[PsyOp]

Once again Kofi grabs his ankles for a thug.

[efnwriter]

efreedomnews         WAR ON TERRORISM - AN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE

War on Iraq:

IRAQ HAS "CONDITIONS" ON INSPECTIONS (as expected)

From the The Evening Standard London September 17, 2002

"The disclosure that restrictions were, after all, attached to Saddam's offer was made by the London ambassador of the Arab League which brokered the deal in the first place.

Ali Muhsen Hamid claimed Iraq was being sincere, but he stipulated that civilian sites would not be available to the inspectors. "We support anywhere, any military site (for inspections), but not as some people have suggested for inspections against hospitals, against schools."

Hospitals are among key sites for inspections because of evidence that Saddam uses health laboratories to manufacture viruses for biological weapons.

An Arab League spokesman said only military sites were covered because it would take 10 years for inspectors to examine civilian buildings, which would divert the UN's attention from making Iraq obey its resolutions. "If the US really wants to resolve this dispute it will welcome the offer," he added."

When will CNN, ABC, NBC CBS and MSNBC report this? If they do, efn will let you know.

[patriciaruth]

Iraq was being sincere, but he stipulated that civilian sites would not be available to the inspectors. "We support anywhere, any military site (for inspections), but not as some people have suggested for inspections against hospitals, against schools."

Daschle has unfortunally seen the light at the end of the tunnel and realized the Dems are cutting their throats by making this an issue. Today he was calling for a vote on a resolution before Congress recesses. I don't think you'll hear a lot more complaints from Dashchle about President Bush's desire to take it to Iraq before they nuke us.

[colorado tanker]

Right you are, Sleeveless. As the details have leaked out, the Iraqis are alluding to many "conditions" for inspections. According to the letter, the only thing "unconditional" is the allowance of inspectors back into Iraq, which means, I guess, they can book rooms at the Al Rashid hotel without presenting a credit card.