Got to admit, its a sly tactic employed by the Iraqis. US is gaining support in the UN for a military resolution and even the Saudis has moved toward a supportive stance with the US, although they may collaborate together with Iraq to appease both the US, and preventing attack against another Arab's country (the timing is perfect). Now military resolution will be harder to come by, yet Bush probably will force it through, otherwise it will look like that Saddam win this round.
Stop saying Iraqi this and Iraqi that. Our official policy is against a despot and his regime not the people of Iraq. He's got a friggin' name . . . use it.
Hopefully, a lot of US troops will get to spend the holidays with their families where they belong.
The last thing we want in Iraq is 50K marines. Now UN troops I support wholeheartedly. We want pictures of Saddam's palaces and resort properties broadcast all over the Middle East by Al Jazerra. Once all of Saddam's rhetoric rings hollow and he's sufficiently hamstrung by the UN presence, the good people of Iraq will take care of him.
Hopefully, a lot of US troops will get to spend the holidays with their families where they belong.
50K UN troops== 45k US troops and 5K in change from everyone else.
Send inspectors in tommorow, keep the gulf force buildup going. The moment Hussein flinches, the deal is off.
Actually, I think a strong resolution is very likely. The factual elements of Bush's presentation to the UN are still valid.
1) Saddam has ignored UN resolutions.
2) Saddam has used WMD.
3) Saddam has continued to manufacture weapons of various types.
4) Saddam has denied access to facilities.
5) Saddam is a lying POS.
Few disagree with those facts which alone justify a resolution stating the need for unfettered access and subsequent destruction of his weapons program and authorizing UN-sanctioned action against Saddam's regime if it fails to comply. Not even Saddam's staunchest ally . . . ? . . . would take him at his word.
This development makes me reconsider a previous post. I think Bush should let the war dogs really bellow, particularly Cheney. Good cop, bad cop routine with Powell as the mild-mannered would clearly give Saddam pause about backing out on this arrangement.
Don't get your hopes up about the good people of Iraq taking care of Saddam. I see that as the least likely scenario. Saddam's shrewdly giving in thereby shifting validity back towards a UN course of action and stealing the momentum of a coming US attack. He'll play this game for a while and then it will be back to the same old drum beat. The US will have to rebuild its momentum all over again as Saddam increasingly favors his odds of survival.
Or maybe I'm just a pessimist.
Random Variable
Lifer
- Aug 10, 2001
- 10,420
- 2
- 0
An unfortunate misunderstanding by the warrior caste. I'm not endorsing 50K troops from anywhere and since we are so tight-arsed about our troops being under UN command I don't want ANY US troops on the ground. The UN needs to have enough people to GUARANTEE that inspectors go where they want when they want by good old intimidation if need be.
Powell should continue building momentum for a stern resolution which will pass a sniff test at the UN. Explicit rationale for action (including justification in existing international law), entry and EXIT strategies should be formalized. We want to make war hard not easy. We want to make life for Saddam as difficult as possible while supporting the people of Iraq who are willing to take this opportunity to tell him to relinquish power by choice or by Ceausescu-style reorganization.
In essence, we want to avoid to whatever extent possible the impression that we are supporting despotism light ala Shah in Iran, Zia now Musharraf in Pakistan, 80s Saddam, Sudharto in Indonesia, and the list goes on and on. Karzai doesn't have enough power to be a despot but his independence from the US is a requisite for him to gain true credibility in his country and the region. Even if everybody knows how he got the job . . . and stays alive.
Yep, you're definitely a pessimist. Saddam has played this game quite well to date. But we're going to flip the script this time. The UN resolution should make it irrelevant whether Saddam wants to comply. That's why I say send in enough UN troops to facilitate inspections while allowing US assets to take up positions close enough for SUPPORT roles. Here's my resolution:
1) Facilities will be subject to unannounced inspection with full cooperation from facility managers. Noncompliance will be considered prima facie evidence of violating the terms of previous UN resolutions resulting in the immediate detention of all employees and the immediate confiscation of the property for the purpose of inspection and destruction of all contents deemed subject to previous and current UN resolutions.
As long as the primary goal is to destroy his weapons program, Saddam can be kept in the penalty box indefinitely. It's the BS side deals that get us into trouble. Which also means France, Russia, and Germany need to suck it up and admit to their duplicity in Iraq.
Gee where have I heard that before.
BTW you do not want troops to accompany the inspectors. It turns it into a circus. Inspectors should be unarmed, of diverse nationalities and completely above reproach. The hammer (troops) should hang preciptiously over Saddam's head. Every UN inspector from R. Butler on down says this is the way to go.
No American lives will be lost anytime soon and that's great news! Now we'll see what happens with the new inspection process. Watch it closely.
US CIA operatives should be excluded as well. The team should stick to its mandated scope and not get sidetracked.
Random Variable
Lifer
- Aug 10, 2001
- 10,420
- 2
- 0
Just for the record, this is the 17th time since the end of the Gulf War that Saddam has said that he would comply.
did we expect anything else from saddam? If he were to say screw u to the inspectors, he would give the u.s even more reason to attack.
Random Variable
Lifer
- Aug 10, 2001
- 10,420
- 2
- 0
On one hand I'm relieved because war sucks. But, on the other hand, I know that the regime is just going to play games with the inspectors. I'm so confused.
from debka.com
White House Spokesman: Saddam Move is Tactical,
Aimed at Giving International Community False Hope
DEBKAfile?s Washington Sources:
Administration Will Not Discard Military Option before
Full Compliance with All Its Demands Including
Disarmament and Regime Change
Signs US Will Intensify Military Heat on Iraq in Next 48 Hors
White House Spokesman: Saddam Move is Tactical,
Aimed at Giving International Community False Hope
DEBKAfile?s Washington Sources:
Administration Will Not Discard Military Option before
Full Compliance with All Its Demands Including
Disarmament and Regime Change
Signs US Will Intensify Military Heat on Iraq in Next 48 Hors
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