Word: inspector
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...looks like war is near. What's less clear: whether a U.S.-led attack on Iraq will be authorized by the United Nations. Iraq's decision to comply with the UN inspectors' demand to destroy its al-Samoud 2 missiles has strengthened the resolve of those at the Security Council arguing that inspections be given more time. The U.S., Britain and Spain are lobbying for a resolution proclaiming Iraq in "material breach" of Resolution 1441, opening the way to war. But France, Germany, Russia and China are backing a counter proposal to give inspectors more time to pursue peaceful disarmament...
...Should he accede to Blix's demand, Saddam might also try to make political capital by appealing, particularly to Arab states, for protection against an invasion in exchange for doing the inspector's bidding. Perhaps mindful of the danger that Iraq could make diplomatic capital out of complying on the al-Samouds, President Bush warned over the weekend that the missiles were simply the "tip of the iceberg" of Iraqi non-compliance. Nonetheless, by taking a hit on his missile program, Saddam would certainly make things easier for those on the Security Council counseling further inspections rather than...
...chief inspector has designed his missile demand as a crucial test of Iraqi compliance with UN disarmament demands, which comes in a more crucial week for the Bush administration's efforts to win UN authorization for war. Buoyed by the strongly antiwar tilt of public opinion in Europe and beyond, France, Germany and Russia continue to resist moves to ditch the inspection process and authorize an invasion. But for domestic political reasons, even such staunch Bush allies as Britain's Tony Blair and Italy's Silvio Berlusconi have pressed Washington to seek a second UN resolution before going...
Iraq's al-Samoud 2 missile may be more useful to Saddam Hussein as a sacrificial offering, right now, than as an artillery weapon. As Britain, Spain and the U.S. square off against France, Germany and Russia in a crucial Security Council debate over Iraqi disarmament, UN weapons inspectors have demanded that Iraq destroy its entire arsenal of the offending missile by March 1. Chief inspector Dr. Hans Blix has declined to negotiate with Baghdad over that demand - leaving no doubt that failure to comply would lead him to report to the Security Council that Iraq has failed a benchmark...
...inspector's demand creates a dilemma for Saddam: Why surrender a whole category of tactical weaponry when you're expecting to be invaded even if you do? But Iraq is believed to have manufactured about 100 of the missiles, which don't have an onboard guidance system, and that would hardly make a decisive difference against the legions of General Tommy Franks. And refusing to destroy them will almost certainly bring an invasion within weeks. Saddam's conduct until now suggests that he is well aware that his best weapons against the U.S. military are political and diplomatic. Every time...