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Posted on 01/30/2003 8:24:23 AM PST by MississippiMan
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11 minutes ago
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By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) closed ranks with allies supporting his hard line against Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) as the White House lashed out Thursday at U.S. critics, accusing them of "doing nothing about a growing menace."
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Bush was meeting with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, a day before his critical Camp David meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites).
The British and Italians are among Bush's staunchest supporters while a number of other U.S. allies, including France and Germany, want to give U.N. weapons inspectors more time in Iraq.
But administration officials have said repeatedly that time is running out for Saddam. "The president is using this window now to engage in very busy and active diplomacy," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) said. "This will take place in a period of weeks, not months."
Former South African President Nelson Mandela, who Bush has praised as a hero of human rights, joined the chorus of critics by calling Bush arrogant and implying the president was racist for threatening to bypass the United Nations (news - web sites) and attack Iraq.
"Is it because the secretary-general of the United Nations is now a black man? They never did that when secretary-generals were white," Mandela said.
Fleischer pointed to a letter by eight European leaders reiterating their support of Bush. "The president expresses his gratitude to the many leaders of Europe who obviously feel differently" than Mandela, Fleischer said. "He understands there are going to be people who are more comfortable doing nothing about a growing menace that could turn into a holocaust."
The Saudis have been seeking a way to avoid war and have not said publicly they will allow the United States to use military facilities in Saudi Arabia. However, U.S. officials have been saying for weeks they are satisfied with the level of cooperation being offered privately and the U.S. commander who would run a war against Iraq just returned to Washington from a round of meetings with military leaders in the region, including those in Saudi Arabia.
In a letter published Thursday in newspapers including The Wall Street Journal and the Times of London, the leaders of Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Denmark paid homage to the "bravery and generosity of America" in ensuring peace in Europe.
And in a veiled attack on France and Germany, the leaders call for "unwavering determination and firm international cohesion on the part of all countries for whom freedom is precious."
In addition, Albania officials released a letter from Prime Minister Fatos Nano to Bush pledging the country's "total and unconditional" support in the war on terrorism.
The administration, meanwhile, combed intelligence data for details Powell could release to support its accusations that Iraq has a secret weapons programs and links to terrorist groups when he appears next week before the public U.N. session. The administration is working to find a way to release such information without compromising U.S. intelligence sources.
Among the issues Bush will discuss with allies is whether imposing a final deadline on Iraq would help spur the international community to increase pressure on Saddam. The administration also is considering a new U.N. resolution. One senior official said it could declare Iraq in violation of its obligations to disarm and authorize the use of force after a certain deadline.
Or, the official said, a deadline could be set without a resolution being proposed by the United States in the Security Council.
Powell, in an interview with ZDF Television of Germany, raised anew the possibility of the United States acting against Iraq without Council support. He said that after consultations next week the administration will decide whether the next step should be a U.N. resolution or "some other action that we might feel obliged to take."
At the United Nations, the United States drew support from only three members of the 15-member Security Council — Britain, Spain and Bulgaria. Eleven others held out for giving U.N. inspectors more time to hunt for illicit arms, diplomats said.
Powell, in the German TV interview, said, "It's still a wonderment to us why more people don't recognize" that Saddam has chemical and biological weapons and has been trying to develop nuclear weapons.
MM
Considering that Bush has appointed blacks to more important positions than any previous president, you have to think that Mandela's agenda may not really be race relations. Pursuit of socialism is more likely, IMO.
I say we send Ms. Rice over there to b*tch slap his a$$..
What a relief.
Mandela always was, is now and always will be a brainless f***ing moron.
I blame the guards on Robben Island for slacking off. They certainly had enough time to beat some sense into him.
"Is it because the secretary-general of the United Nations is now a black man? They never did that when secretary-generals were white," Mandela said.
Loser.
Nelson's been taking lessons from Jesse & Al.
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