OnePeople

UN Resolution Solidifies

The AP reported on Friday that details have emerged on the pending UN Security Council resolution. The US and Britain are proposing that the UN weapons inspectors be given unfettered access to all of Iraq, including "presidential" sites. The resolution would be backed by "all necessary means."

The AP says that this wording is meant to bring France, China and Russia on board. France, for their part, would like to see two seperate resolutions: one to reinstate weapons inspections, and another authorizing force -- in effect, giving Iraq a "second chance." The LA Times has Russian and China in the same camp.

AP quotes Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass) coming out strongly after the Democratic-Republican ruckus earlier in the week, saying that the war "could worsen, not lessen, the threat of terrorism" by igniting anti-US hatred in the Middle East. Senator Leahy (D-Vt) wants the US to work with the international community, "not through precipitous, unilateral military action." In response, Senator Trent Lott (R-Miss) said that Democrats "need to be careful what they call for. They're liable to get it." Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld guaranteed "a substantial coalition of countries" would be involved in any action. Finally, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer reacted to questions about the White House policy against the ever-more-cohesive Democratic opposition by asserting that Bush has said "a million times" that the military may not be the first method used against Iraq.

The AP piece is headlined "U.S., Britain want 7-day deadline in U.N.'s Iraq resolution" but mentions no such deadline in the body of the piece as this entry is being written. This quote is also curious: "President Bush backed the U.N. effort, saying, 'I'm willing to give peace a chance.'" The story states, though, that the UN is taking no action at all, but rather UN and US diplomats have simply revealed the details of the plan. Saying that Bush "backed the U.N. effort" is highly misleading -- the effort was his in the first place.

The LA Times chose to spin this as a deal between the US and Britain, rather than the united front that the AP portrays. They add an important quote from Secretary of State Colin Powell, who admits that the US is "a long way" from getting a resolution supporting military action in Iraq. That stands in stark contrast to Secretary Rumsfeld's promise in the AP article. LAT also notes that Bush's rhetoric has calmed considerably in discussing the pending Congressional resolution, in light of the recent flap with Congressional Democrats. LAT also adds important details about the resolution, including a two-week implementation deadline and a six month disarmament deadline. Not to be outdone by the AP, LAT also has not just France, but China and Russia all opposed to a single resolution that authorizes force -- which is a problem, since they all have veto power of any resolution that passes through the UN Security Council. The Bush administration doesn't seem interested:

"We're now feeling that we've made a psychological leap, that we don't need further justification. Clearly we'll ask for it, but if we don't get it, we won't need to go back for it," said an administration official who asked to remain anonymous.

More than one outlet has voiced concern that this attitude places the UN in the irrelevant position that Bush warned about in his speech to the body on September 12. Irony abound.

The BBC has a decidedly more pessisimistic attitude, perhaps warranted, since "France Resists US Pressure on Iraq." BBC supports the LAT story that France, China, and Russia are extremely skeptical of the US accusations, and would much rather see inspectors back on the ground and worry about the military options later. The Beeb also included light converage of a largely uneventful Congressional delegation of doves to Baghdad.

A seperate BBC story summarizes the resolution thusly:

• Acceptance of resolution within seven days


• Declaration of arms programmes within 30 days


• Access for inspectors to all sites


• Armed guards to accompany inspectors


• Use of military force for any non-compliance

CNN plays up the fact that French officials were very tight-lipped after meeting with American diplomats. The French are skeptical, and the "two-step" approach is mentioned. The most substantive item from the French President Jacques Chirac's Press Secretary, Catherine Colonna:

"The objective is the rapid and unconditional return of U.N. inspectors to Iraq. A simple, firm resolution which shows the unity and determination of the international community could help on this front."

Washington Post is quoting one UN diplomat as saying that the US-British resolution is "designed to be rejected." WaPo also is also saying that Iraq would have seven days to accept the resolution and 23 days to comply.

-- posted by Gunnar at September 29, 2002 12:00 PM