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WAR The internet is a wonderful place. I almost wrote “invention,” but it is, in fact, a landscape, a space to explore. We have, at our fingertips, all of the combined wisdom (and idiocy) of our species throughout our long struggle up towards enlightenment. The internet is also a horrible place, for there are dark rooms and hidden sewers where all of the festering evil we humans commit upon each other are exposed for those with the stomach to witness it. I have spent much time in these disgusting realms in the days since September 11th, 2001. I have forced...

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern says Ireland made a significant contribution to the shaping of the agreement reached by the European Union on Iraq. European leaders have warned Iraq that it faced a 'last chance' to disarm peacefully. In a strongly worded declaration last night, EU leaders also affirmed solidarity with the US. "Baghdad should have no illusions. The Iraqi regime alone will be responsible for the consequences if it continues to flout the will of the international community," 15 EU leaders said in a joint declaration. Bertie Ahern says Ireland's position is very much in line with the rest of the...

EU to Iraq: Disarm now 02/17/2003 Associated Press BRUSSELS, Belgium - European leaders united Monday behind a declaration affirming solidarity with the United States and warning Saddam Hussein that Iraq faces one "last chance" to disarm peacefully. The declaration by 15 European Union leaders including French President Jacques Chirac gave firm backing for the U.S. and British demand for swift action to disarm Iraq. But it also recognized the Franco-German drive for a peaceful solution, calling war "a last resort." "Baghdad should have no illusions. It must disarm and cooperate immediately and fully. The Iraqi regime alone will be...

Saddam is what Alfred Hitchcock called the MacGuffin. Like the top-secret formula in The 39 Steps or the uranium in Notorious, he's the pretext for the movie, but he's not really what the movie's about. Despite the best efforts of the French and Germans, the old butcher will be gone in a few weeks. The real debate in Washington is about the speed and scale of post-Saddam Middle Eastern reform: There are legitimate differences about that but the "post-Saddam" bit of it is taken for granted. As noted in this space many months ago, he's being taken out first because...

Bush administration, Congress discuss plans for postwar Iraq Two-year-plus role seen for military; officials outline arms, oil issues 02/12/2003 The New York Times WASHINGTON - In the first detailed public discussion of the Bush administration's plans for a postwar Iraq, senior officials told Congress on Tuesday that it would take more than two years for the U.S. military to transfer control of the Baghdad government to Iraqi leaders. The officials, seeking to demonstrate to skeptical senators that the administration's planning was well-advanced, outlined a long list of steps for democratizing Iraq after the ouster of Saddam Hussein. Those would...

U.S. critical of boosting inspections Germany, France want U.N. troops to pressure Baghdad to open up 02/10/2003 By JOHN MINTZ / The Washington Post WASHINGTON – Top Bush administration officials Sunday criticized new proposals floated by the French and German governments to avert war in Iraq. Those plans call for sending increased numbers of United Nations weapons inspectors into Iraq along with U.N. troops who would try to enforce demands that Baghdad comply with weapons searches. < snip > On the program Fox News Sunday, Mr. Powell said that increasing the numbers of U.N. inspectors would be a useless exercise....

US and Britain give Saddam just 48 hours to leave Iraq By Julian Coman in Washington and Colin Brown(Filed: 09/02/2003) Britain and America are drawing up plans to give Saddam Hussein as little as 48 hours to flee Baghdad or face war, if UN weapons inspectors report this week that the Iraqi dictator is still refusing to disarm fully.The proposals will form the framework of a long-awaited second resolution, which could be put before the Security Council by next weekend. The deadline would be just long enough for Arab neighbours to make a last effort to persuade Saddam to leave...

Nations lining up to back U.S. war 02/09/2003 By RICHARD WHITTLE / The Dallas Morning News WASHINGTON - Critics accuse President Bush of preparing to make war on Iraq "unilaterally," but U.S. officials say they are molding together a coalition of nearly two dozen nations willing to help disarm Baghdad by force. Britain, with thousands of troops, dozens of combat aircraft and an aircraft carrier battle group of ships already in the Persian Gulf or on the way, is the ally expected to make the largest contribution of military forces. Australia also is said to be ready to commit...

France, Russia, China launch diplomaticcounteroffensive against US, Britain 02/08/2003 Associated Press UNITED NATIONS - France, Russia and China have launched a diplomatic counteroffensive against the United States and Britain, opposing a rush to war and insisting that U.N. weapons inspectors be given a chance to disarm Iraq peacefully. While U.S. and British diplomats considered options for a new U.N. resolution authorizing military action against Iraq, the three other veto-wielding members of the Security Council demanded that inspections be given more time. The leaders of France and China reiterated that point in phone calls to President Bush Friday, and Russian...

Powell makes case against Iraq today Secretary's speech to defend U.S. talk of war before a skeptical U.N. 02/05/2003 By DAVID JACKSON / The Dallas Morning News NEW YORK - Colin Powell, secretary of state, becomes Colin Powell, prosecutor, on Wednesday, arguing to world diplomats that war may be necessary to curb Saddam Hussein's ambitions for chemical and biological weapons. He may well face a hung jury. On the eve of Mr. Powell's globally televised presentation to the U.N. Security Council, French President Jacques Chirac again called for giving U.N. weapons inspectors more time before going to war. Germany,...

Hussein adviser fears attack by U.S. 01/26/2003 The New York Times BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein's top science adviser said Saturday that he feared a U.S. attack might be inevitable, regardless of what U.N. inspectors conclude about the last two months of renewed searches for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. "One tends to think it is coming, no matter what we do," Gen. Amir al-Saadi said in an interview with foreign reporters. With tensions rising sharply - two days before U.N. inspectors deliver a report that the Bush administration sees as a crucial measure of Iraqi cooperation -...

JANUARY 19, 15:03 ET White House Would Welcome Saddam Exile By SCOTT LINDLAW Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Bush administration officials said Sunday they would welcome Saddam Hussein seeking exile outside Iraq, saying it could avert military action to topple the Iraqi president. Also, Secretary of State Colin Powell went to the New York headquarters of the United Nations to meet with foreign ministers of Security Council members about Saddam and the Iraq problem. ``To avoid a war, I would be personally — would recommend that some provision be made so that the senior leadership in that...

Navy fleet in gulf ready for war, admiral says Hussein should know 'we're not playing games,' Clark warns 01/18/2003 By RICHARD WHITTLE / The Dallas Morning News MANAMA, Bahrain - The U.S. Navy's fleet in the Persian Gulf is ready for war if President Bush orders it, and Saddam Hussein "would be wise" to disarm peacefully, the chief of naval operations said Friday. "Our folks are ready; that's what I saw everywhere I went," Adm. Vernon Clark said in an interview after visiting three of the Fifth Fleet's ships in the gulf, including the aircraft carrier USS Constellation. "Our...

Reaction on Iraq to be swift In 2 weeks, U.S. expected to declare that Hussein not cooperating 01/18/2003 From Wire Reports WASHINGTON - The Bush administration expects to declare in two weeks that Iraq is not cooperating with U.N. weapons inspectors, Secretary of State Colin Powell was quoted as saying Friday. Mr. Powell's remarks seemed to indicate that President Bush is rejecting appeals by European allies and chief weapons inspector Hans Blix to give the inspections more time before considering military action against Iraq. Dr. Blix is due to report to the U.N. Security Council on Jan. 27 about...

Bush says, 'Time is running out on Saddam Hussein' U.S. officials stress that inspections report date isn't a deadline for war 01/15/2003 By DAVID JACKSON / The Dallas Morning News WASHINGTON - President Bush brushed aside suggestions Tuesday that U.N. weapons inspectors may need months in Iraq to complete their work, saying that "time is running out on Saddam Hussein." "I'm sick and tired of games and deception, and that's my view of timetables," he said. Mr. Bush's aides continued to identify a Jan. 27 inspections report to the United Nations as an "important date" in the standoff with...

<p>Speech to be broadcast live on the internet and on Iraq state TV.</p> <p>Anyone know where we can get it with the time difference..</p>

Slowly we are coming to the last few moves of a yearlong and tedious game. Saddam Hussein supposes that through delay, denial, and obstruction he can for a second decade stymie weapons inspectors and international bureaucrats, and thereby outfox the United States — in the process snatching victory from his rendezvous with ruin. He has slowly boxed himself into a corner in which he must deny the presence of weapons that he — and the world — knows exist. When that revelation of their existence occurs, checkmate looms, and the wages of war follow — some time, I imagine, between...

Iraqis poised to fight holy war, Hussein warns He denies holding doomsday arms, says U.S. aims to rule world 12/25/2002 Associated Press BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein said Tuesday that Iraqis were ready to fight a holy war against the United States, and he accused Washington of using lies and military might in a bid to rule the world. In a vitriolic address read to Iraqis by a television announcer, Mr. Hussein said the world was entering a new year "under unique circumstances ... which have been manufactured by the forces of evil and darkness in order to create...

Iraq says inspectors are spies U.N. team says it's getting results, balancing demands 12/05/2002 Associated Press BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq protested sharply Wednesday over U.N. weapons inspectors' surprise intrusion into one of Saddam Hussein's presidential palaces, accusing the arms experts of being spies who staged the search as a provocation that could lead to war. The harshest criticism came from Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, who charged - in language reminiscent of clashes with inspectors in the 1990s - that the new teams of U.N. monitors were gathering intelligence for Washington and Israel. "Their work is to spy to...

U.S. doubts Iraq's efforts 'Path of action' planned if Hussein doesn't comply with inspections 12/03/2002 By G. ROBERT HILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News WASHINGTON - President Bush said Monday the "signs are not encouraging" in Iraq that Saddam Hussein will fully comply with the new U.N. weapons inspections. And Vice President Dick Cheney, in separate, carefully coordinated remarks, emphasized that the United States stood ready to "take the battle to the enemy" in its international war against terrorism. "The only path to safety is the path of action," Mr. Cheney declared, reiterating the administration's doctrine of pre-emptive strikes....