The UN, US and Iraq IV

Thanks! Appreciate it!


Eh ... "WMD will be found." But - sheesh - enuff already. (Yeh I know - I started, again <nods>).

OK, yeah, I said it. Mebbe said it elsewhere too, I dunno. Yer right, 'nuff said. I think I've made clear my feeling the WMD issue was a blunder, a distraction from the real issues. I stand by that, too.

Colin Powell
Meet The Press
September 7th, 2003



Condi Rice
Press Briefing
September 22nd, 2003

Is this a credibility issue yet?

Not to the true believer. Sigh!

During an April 22nd American Enterprise Institute briefing on the war in Iraq, Charles Krauthammer said: "Hans Blix had five months to find weapons. He found nothing. We've had five weeks. Come back to me in five months. If we haven't found any, we will have a credibility problem."

No ****.

'''''''''''''''here''''''''''''''''

Here's a good idea. -"We're spending a lot of money trying to develop a constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just send them ours? It's a good one and we aren't using it anymore."

Oh, there is no question that WMD's will be found.Now, I really don't trust Condi Rice or Colin Powell's statements concerning WMD's.

However, when one examines the statements of the most brilliant policy analyist of the last century there is no doubt that WMD's do exist.

quote

"...if Saddam can cripple the weapons inspection system and get away with it, he would conclude that the international community-led by the United States- has simply lost its will. He will surmise that he has free rein to rebuild his ARSENAL OF DESTRUCTION, and someday- make no mistake- he will use IT again as he has in the past."

and

"If we turn our backs on his defiance...we will not only have allowed Saddam to shatter the inspection system that controls HIS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION PROGRAM, we also will have fatally undercut the fear of force that stops Saddam from acting to gain domination in the region."

and

"So we will pursue a long-term strategy to contain Iraq and ITS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION and work toward the day when Iraq has a government worthy of its people."

and

"The hard fact is that so long as Saddam remains in power, he threatens the well-being of his people, the peace of his region, the security of the world."

and

"The decision to use force is never cost-free. Whenever American forces are placed in harm's way, we risk the loss of life, and while our strikes are focused on Iraq's military capabilities, THERE WILL BE UNINTENDED IRAQI CASUALTIES"

and

"And mark my words, he(Saddam) WILL DEVELOP WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. HE WILL DEPLOY THEM AND HE WILL USE THEM."

President William Jefferson's Clinton's speech on the occasion of his orders of the bombing of Iraq- Dec. 16, 1998.


Now, the right wing "conspiracy" has tried to denigrate President Clinton for years. They cannot, however, deny that he has been the most intelligent, and most prescient Foreign Policy Expert of modern times.

source- http://www.nandotimes.com

Now, let's read those quotes in context.

Clinton ordered air strikes on military and security targets, and suspected WMD sites, because "Saddam Hussein [had] announced that he would no longer cooperate with the United Nations weapons inspectors, called UNSCOM," he stated in that Dec. 16, 1998 speech.

Clinton ordered air strikes because Hussein had flatly refused to comply with the UN demands.

Bush and Co. invaded Iraq because there was a discrepancy in a report provided by the Hussein regime to UNMOVIC, while complying, albeit grudgingly, with UN weapons inspections which, up to the time when Bush told UNMOVIC to get out, had found absolutely nothing.

The Iraq Survey Team has found absolutely nothing.

Compare the two Presidents' sense of propriety and prudence (Bush I's operating word) in their responses to the respective situations

Now, let's read those quotes in context.

Clinton ordered air strikes on military and security targets, and suspected WMD sites, because "Saddam Hussein [had] announced that he would no longer cooperate with the United Nations weapons inspectors, called UNSCOM," he stated in that Dec. 16, 1998 speech.

Clinton ordered air strikes because Hussein had flatly refused to comply with the UN demands.

Bush and Co. invaded Iraq because there was a discrepancy in a report provided by the Hussein regime to UNMOVIC, while complying, albeit grudgingly, with UN weapons inspections which, up to the time when Bush told UNMOVIC to get out, had found absolutely nothing.

The Iraq Survey Team has found absolutely nothing.

Compare the two Presidents' sense of propriety and prudence (Bush I's operating word) in their responses to the respective situations

Sofia wrote,


The world did address the threats that prompted Bush's pre-emptive action, the UN sent in UNMOVIC which was doing its job, which was told to get out of Iraq by Bush.

That UNMOVIC was given opportunity is due entirely to the credible threat posed by the US. That Saddam chose to obstruct, rather than embrace, the mission of UNMOVIC revealed the futility of containment.

May I respectfully suggest that Infrablue read the entire Clinton speech. He will find that his speech indicates that Chairman Butler found that Iraq was not complying with the inspection system.

I also request that Infrablue examine the text of UN Resolution 1441 which states in part:

We recognize the threat that Iraq poses to council resolutions and the PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION pose to peace and security."

They must have copied that from Clinton's speech.

Timber is quite right. UNMOVIC's opportunity was provided by the USA.

Saddam's "obstruction" amounted to unaccounted discrepancies in a report provided to UNMOVIC. Containment wasn't even given a legitimate chance by Bush before its futility or otherwise could have been rightly discerned. Blix and UNMOVIC had been making progress and petitioned for more time. Bush denied it. Now, Bush is affording his Iraq Survey Team all the time in the world.

Neither have found anything.

UNMOVIC was obstructed more by Bush than it ever was by Saddam.

Containment, sanctions and inspections were given 12 years. It is folly to continue an innefective effort in expectation of better results.

"Chairman Butler found that Iraq was not complying with the inspection system."

That is why Clinton ordered the air strikes, because, in his words, "Saddam Hussein announced that he would no longer cooperate with the United Nations weapons inspectors . . ."

We are in accord on this point, Italgato.

"We recognize the threat that Iraq poses to council resolutions and the PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION pose to peace and security."

That is the very reason UNMOVIC was sent in by the Security Council, to Monitor, Verify and Inspect.

Bush thwarted those objectives.

"Containment, sanctions and inspections were given 12 years. It is folly to continue an innefective effort in expectation of better results."

Inspections were only given five months after the US's threat of war. In those five months nothing had been found. In the four months since the Iraq Survey Team has inspected, with absolute free reign, nothing has been found.

What results, exactly, was Bush expecting, though?

It is obvious, Infrablue that you have not read 1441.

Gato, I was under the impression that Bush ignored the UN and decided he had an opportunity to asassinate Saddam so he took it. What difference would 1441 make under those circumstances?