The US, The UN and Iraq

$20,000,000 is my piece of the action c.i.

Yawn. If bin Laden didn't exist it would be necessary to invent him. Isn't it wonderful how helpful he's being to Mr Bush. Where's he going to pop up next? Tehran? P'yongyang city?

"I hit the Trifecta!"

Krugman seems never to have met an absurd anti-conservative thought he didn't like.

Actually I think Mr Bush has already thought of that----inventing UBL that is.

From BBC news:

At the Security Council, Mr Powell laid out what he said was proof that Baghdad was linked to al-Qaeda, whom the US blames for the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington.

His evidence focused on the role of a Jordanian al-Qaeda associate, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whom he said was operating in northern Iraq.

The testimony was greeted with a significant level of scepticism on both sides of the Atlantic.

(my italics). This last sentence is a typical BBC understatement for "met with howls of derision"

Steve wrote:

Quote
(my italics). This last sentence is a typical BBC understatement for "met with howls of derision"[/quote]

More apropos me thinks "Was met by critics on both sides of the Atlantic with hysterical wailing and much hand wringing"

Why can't the Americans be more honest about what they're doing and the reasons why they're doing it?

Who knows, they might get support from the most unexpected quarters, me for instance.

For those who may be interested, National Public Radio is running a series of programs on the history of Iraq and a world-wide call-in show with opinions about the prospective war. As follows:

1. Preparations for an invasion of Iraq are dominating the news, but what do we know of Iraq itself? The World's Jeb Sharp presents a radio history of Iraq from its beginnings in a post World War One colonial land grab to the years of troubled relations between Baghdad and Washington. Hear The World's three part radio history of Iraq this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening.

2. How does the rest of the world feel about the threat of war with Iraq? People from all over the world will have an opportunity to share their thoughts an opinions on the looming prospect of military action against Iraq when, for the first time ever, the BBC World Service and National Public Radio come together to present a global, two-hour call-in show. Iraq: The World Speaks will air live at 12 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. Hosts will be NPR's Neal Conan and the BBC's Robin Lustig. Tune in as voices from throughout the world weigh in on this critical international issue.

Steve, you don't want to go into that deep, dark closet!

Bill W

You seem to be almost admitting that the Administration dare not trust the people with the truth. Why should the government be afraid of its own people?

Iraq: No to Franco/Russian Plan


This too might have an effect in certain discussions.



timber

Class Steve, it is all about class. All the lower class people just wouldn't understand, so the secret USA government dare not burden them!

timber, Is there any chance the France and Germany will change their minds just because Iraq refuses their proposals? I think France and Germany has a mind of their own, and we might as well throw in Russia and China. c.i.

Okay, I get this logic now. Bush says that Iraq and Saddam always lie. So, we better no throw him in that briar patch. So, we can just double back on him right now and adopt the Franco/Russian Plan!

Aha - that's the ticket!

Steve - a partial answer can be found in the text of OBL's latest speech:

.................The speaker on the tape said nothing about direct ties between al-Qaida and the Iraqi government saying his followers only share a common interest with Iraq, even though he denounced Saddam's secular, socialist al-Baath party as "infidels."

"It does not harm in these circumstances that the interests of Muslims and socialists crisscross in fighting against the Crusaders," he said.
_____________________________________________________________

1. The socialists in the area aren't fighting.
2. No Moslem country is contributing troops so far.

So (3) unless some drastic far-Eastern surprise materializes (President Kim testing a nuke, say) Iraq will in fact be attacked by the troop composition described by OBL - a bit worrisome to have the enemy writing parts of the battle plan, but we remain undeterred <G>

c.i., I fully expect The French to flip-flop. The Germans will likely stand pat ... to the detriment of their domestic economy and Schroeder's increasing inconvenience (Walter's input would be interesting here). The Russians are still staunch, and are hoisting an 'Osama vs Saddam" flag.

Pravda: Osama is a goodguy

As the Feb. 14 Security Council Meeting approaches, there will be further "Bombshells". I am sure. The Russians have not talked themselves into quite the corner The Germans have, and could still go either way. The French likely will become pragmatic. I believe ongoing developments may be expected, but I do not anticipate these further developments to lessen the possibility of hostilities.


BillW, I did note that for some 90 minutes after Powell's mention of The New Bin Laden Tape that Al Jazeera denied its existence, and I note too that this tape was released to The Media and translated much more expeditiously than have been prior "Bin Laden Tapes". That in itself gives some cause for skepticism. I await eagerly further verification or refutation of "The Latest Tape".

timber, The unemployment in Germany is already 11 percent. To stand pat and watch their economy go further into the dumps, I'll be sitting on the sidelines to watch. I would also welcome Walter's opinion on this subject. I disagree with your opinon that France will flip-flop. This is the most world influence they've ever had in their miserable history, and they're going to play this game to the hilt. c.i.

BTW, I said "miserable," because I do not think they are doing it for the right reasons. c.i.

C.i., to get a better understanding of "The French Position" re: The US, I suggest you research The Suez Crisis of 1957. The US played a major role in that incident, a role which more tightly bound The UK to The US and which drove a wedge between The US and The French. DeGaulle in particular felt personally betrayed by Eisenhower, and considered that he had been publicly insulted. None of this dates from last week, last year, or even the last generation.



timber