|
Straw fury at French tactics
France's threat to deploy its UN veto is making war with Iraq more — not less — likely by preventing the security council from enforcing its own decisions, Jack Straw said last night. In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the foreign secretary expressed dismay at what he had earlier called President Jacques Chirac's "extraordinary Quite. He brushed aside any suggestion that war - possibly next week - would be illegal without a fresh resolution. He argued that if a resolution is lost then it does not exist - so the legal position reverts to resolution 1441 which threatens serious consequences if Iraq fails to comply with demands to disarm. Serious consequences, apparently, is diplospeak for "do what we say, sucka, or we gonna bust a cap on you." He also rejected Saddam's latest offer to prove he has destroyed his elusive stocks of VX nerve agent. "I have come to the dismal conclusion that for him it is really a game and it is trickling out the minimum concessions to buy more time." The foreign secretary told the Guardian that diplomacy could still produce a peaceful outcome, with the clock now running into next week. I like the idea of Sammy going on Iraqi TV to say, in Arabic, that it was all his fault. The US said yesterday it was prepared to wait until next week for a UN vote on a final ultimatum to Iraq, but might opt not to ask for a vote at all, if a security council majority continues to elude Washington. Only days after George Bush pledged to call for a vote, whether it might succeed or not, the administration said it would look at "all the options". Is this more cover to keep Sammy from loosing chemical weapons at our guys? The White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, declared "the end is coming into sight" as more than 250,000 US and British troops in the region carried out final preparations for an invasion. B-2 Stealth bombers, likely to carry out the first raids of the campaign, left their Missouri bases yesterday. Hopes, too were fading last night for Britain's resolution after the crucial six undecided nations questioned whether the relatively short deadlines outlined in the proposal were realistic or only an excuse for war. Take a guess, guys. "The British proposal is not still at the point at which ... it satisfies our concerns," said Chilean ambassador Gabriel Valdes. Britain's United Nations ambassador, Jeremy Greenstock, met the crucial six undecided nations in a private meeting in an attempt to salvage a compromise. As Mr Straw spoke, the French foreign minister, Dominique de Villepin, also appeared conciliatory in the face of US-led vituperation. France is still open to any option that could solve the current crisis, he said. "We want a solution and we are looking for consensus within the security council. Everything must be tried to preserve the unity of the council and we are working towards that. France confirms its openness to seize all opportunities." He realizes that the strident "we will veto regardless" puts them on the hook, and now he wants off. But Mr de Villepin reiterated that Paris will not cross its red line: any second resolution must not contain an ultimatum that could lead to military action against Iraq. That was not reasonable, he insisted.
Dominique is still on the hook. In an attempt to woo Russia and the six swing states on the security council Mr Straw had earlier dropped the demand that Saddam state on Arabic TV that he would disarm. But he would still have to make a statement admitting his guilt. No-o-o-o-o-o! Sammy has to allocute!! Clare Short, the "It was all PMS, really!" Ms Short gave the impression of Posted by: Steve White 2003-03-14 |
|
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=11264 |