THREAD FULL! WAR WITH IRAQ - Use New Thread: Sound and Fury

» rasputin13 - Sound and Fury

Saturday, February 15, 2003; Page A32

THE LATEST MEETING of the United Nations Security Council on Iraq generated much emotional rhetoric but little change in the situation. Inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei reported again that Saddam Hussein has not accounted for his weapons of mass destruction or cooperated fully with the inspectors, as required by Resolution 1441. They suggested no alteration of Iraq's practice of offering partial collaboration on procedure but no collaboration on the actual substance of disarmament. Britain and the United States tried again to call attention to the path laid out by the council in a unanimous vote three months ago: Failure by Iraq "at any time" to comply was defined as a "material breach" mandating the council's consideration of "serious consequences" -- which all understood to mean military intervention. Finally, France, Germany and Russia argued -- to the applause of the gallery -- that the terms of Resolution 1441 simply be disregarded and that inspections continue despite Iraq's refusal to cooperate. French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, ignoring Mr. Blix's statement that "it is not the task of the inspectors" to locate Iraq's stockpiles, proposed that they be charged with doing just that -- and that force not be considered unless the inspectors reported that they were "unable to work."

Most of the speeches, like that of Mr. de Villepin, were directed at global opinion. The French minister devoted far more of his speech to proclaiming France's love of peace than to explaining how the dispatch of more inspectors would get results when even the chief inspector doesn't think so. But it's worth considering how one particular spectator -- Saddam Hussein -- must have reacted to this show. Surely he noticed the deep divide in the council and the focus by France and its followers on blocking action by the United States. He listened as meaningless or even ludicrous gestures on his part, such as yesterday's announcement of a decree outlawing the production of chemical and biological weapons, were described as gratifying steps forward by veto-wielding members of the Security Council. And he heard the French government say that as long as he stops short of forcing inspectors out of his country, there will be no war. Saddam Hussein's conclusion is easy: He can safely continue his strategy of dickering over procedure with the inspectors while continuing to hide his weapons.

Yesterday's session diminished hope that the council will face up to the responsibility of implementing its resolutions on Iraq. Mr. Blix did report that Iraq has produced dozens of illegal missiles that should be destroyed; if Iraq refuses orders to do so in the coming weeks, the council could feel compelled to respond. Both the inspectors and the French also contended that inspector-managed disarmament could be completed quickly. If that's the case, then they should be prepared to set a deadline for full Iraqi compliance. The Bush administration still intends to seek another council resolution, and it should do whatever it can to prevent the Iraq debate from damaging the United Nations and the NATO alliance -- including curbing the intemperate rhetoric it has directed at Paris and Berlin. But the United States cannot again join the Security Council in backing down from a confrontation with the Iraqi dictator, as it did repeatedly during the 1990s, also under pressure from France and Russia. Saddam Hussein was offered a "final opportunity"; no member of the council contends that he accepted it. Even if others lose their nerve, the United States must ensure that this time the dictator suffers the "serious consequences" that are due.

© 2003 The Washington Post Company

-- posted by rasputin13