 |
 |
Get
Updates |
US President George W. Bush is all set for a big "Saddam-b-que"
that would see the Iraqi leader and his murderous, dictatorial
regime tossed out and replaced with a democratic government. Bush
has sent out invitations to his friends and allies around the
world, but his military shindig could end up being a big bust if
he isn't careful.
Bush may enjoy the support of the majority of Americans in an
attack on Iraq, but his allies need more convincing. Canada,
Britain, Germany, Italy and Jordan want more proof that now is
the time to take out Saddam. For Gerhard Schroeder of
Germany and Tony Blair of the UK, the issue is tightly tied to
their political future as the vast majority of British and
German voters are dead-set against a war in Iraq. Canadian
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is unwilling to commit more
Canadian troops to yet another US-led war if the issue of UN
weapons inspection is the only justification for action. Sergey
Ordzhonikidze, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, has warned Bush
that an attack on Iraq will lead to the collapse of the
anti-terrorist coalition.
None of these leaders should really need any more proof that
it's high time to get rid of Saddam Hussein for good. We
only need to look at how the Clinton administration
dilly-dallied around for years with Osama bin Laden while he was
running around bombing US ships and embassies to see fault in
the "just one more strike before we finally wake up"
approach.
Hussein's rap-sheet should be justification enough to take this
guy out without any further ado. He has started two
wars, gassed the Kurds, fired Scud missiles at Israeli
civilians, killed and tortured thousands of his own people, and
have made living conditions in his country intolerable. He
has former Soviet weapons inspectors on the Iraqi payroll, and
has been developing chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons
ever since he barred UN weapons inspectors in 1998. According
to Czeck intelligence, one of Hussein's top spies met with 9-11
hijacker Mohammed Atta in Prague only a few months before the
attack on America. Hussein has repeatedly declared
and demonstrated that he hates Westerners, Jews, Kurds, and just
about everyone else. What evidence is there to
possibly suggest that this is a man who would NOT unload weapons
of mass destruction on al-Qaeda terrorists for a pretty penny,
or even just for the sheer joy of it?
But the bottom line is that the US needs the full support of its
allies, and it has some major optics to address before it can
effectively deal with Saddam. Last week, the US
rejected an offer to allow UN chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix,
to continue technical talks in Baghdad. Big mistake. The
US needs to prove to the world that it has given Hussein every
possible chance for redemption before it launches a full-scale
military strike; however, this doesn't mean that Iraq should be
permitted to call the shots.
The US and the UN need to stand by their post-Gulf War policy
and insist that Hussein allow immediate and unrestricted access
to weapons inspectors, and submit to complete disarmament if any
weapons of mass destruction are discovered. It should
be made clear to the international community that this is
Hussein's last chance to comply, and that anything short of his
full cooperation will result in swift military action. This
would put the world on notice.
If the US gives Hussein enough rope, he'll likely hang himself. He
has a track record of reneging on his promises. He
agreed to the implementation of no-fly zones to protect the
Kurds in the north and Shiite Muslims in the south as a
condition of ending the Persian Gulf War. The UN
granted the US and Britain authority to enforce the zones;
however, in 1998 Hussein unilaterally conjured up a policy by
which the no-fly patrols could be shot at from the ground. Another
condition to which Hussein agreed at the end of the Gulf War was
to allow for weapons inspectors in the region; however, in 1998
he again went back on his obligations.
The US must be patient for a little while longer. It
should use this time to launch a public relations campaign
designed to convince its allies, beyond any doubt, that Hussein
and his weapons of mass destruction pose a clear and present
danger to the international community. He needs to
connect the dots between Hussein's weapons program and al-Qaeda
terrorists hell-bend on the destruction of the West. The
sooner Bush can prove that diplomacy has failed, the sooner he
can attack with the backing of his allies. After all,
former party boy "Dubya" should know better than
anyone that it's no fun to throw a party to which none of your
friends show up.
|
Shop PUSA
Slander
by Ann Coulter
The Case for Marriage: Why
Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better Off
Financially
by Linda J. Waite and Maggie Gallagher
Scan your PC for viruses now!
Magazine of the Month
Shakedown
: Exposing the Real Jesse Jackson
by Kenneth R. Timmerman
DVD's Under $10 at buy.com!
Cigar.com
The Rehnquist
Choice: The Untold Story of the Nixon Appointment That Redefined
the Supreme Court
by John W. Dean
Leather -
Sale (30 to 50% off)
Shop for Your Princess at DisneyStore.com 
|
