Word: iraq
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...against Iraq joined World War II as a standard for a good war, one that the American people could support fully and feel was just. It is a very high standard, requiring an evil enemy, a vital stake in the struggle, an overwhelming victory and--now--low casualties. In the future, very few conflicts will meet...
American warplanes were practicing bombing runs from their carriers in the Persian Gulf. In Baghdad the long-suffering citizens of Iraq were resigning themselves to yet another aerial whacking. In Washington, Bill Clinton was staring at a pair of unpleasant options: bomb and be damned, or back down and be ridiculed. If ever there was a call for high diplomacy, this...
Washington did not do badly. It is off the hook, at least for now, on its threat to bomb Iraq, a move that promised less than satisfying results and that was gathering opposition at home and abroad by the day. Clinton's bottom-line demands were preserved, as Saddam again accepted U.N. resolutions that mandate "unconditional and unrestricted" inspections and destruction of his bioweapons, nerve agents and missiles. This deal could fall apart--and many experienced experts assume it will--but matters had worked out better than the Clintonites had expected...
...Britain were worried about several specific provisions in the memorandum of understanding between the U.N. and Iraq. It was unclear who would supervise the Special Group, the UNSCOM-plus team, set up to inspect the palaces. The memo called for "specific detailed procedures" for the inspections, but didn't spell out the procedures. This could be trouble, offering the Iraqis any number of avenues for delaying and limiting inspections. But, asks a Clinton aide, "Do we go to war over who drives Butler's car into the palaces...
...White House had a sinking feeling when it contemplated clauses that called on the U.N. to respect Iraq's "legitimate concerns relating to national security, sovereignty and dignity." This is diplomatic boilerplate that has been used in other Security Council documents, but in this context it could become another monkey wrench in Saddam's toolbox...