Word: saddamism
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Clinton hopes that all this capital hopping will convince everyone the U.S. means what it says and that pressure will mount on Saddam to reverse course. But White House officials glumly conclude he probably won't. To them, the term diplomatic solution means finding a way for Saddam to back down without losing too much face. It is much to be desired, says a senior adviser, "but it's unlikely." If it fails, Clinton is prepared to give the order to attack...
...decided to do so yet. The U.S. has plenty of land- and carrier-based planes and missiles in the gulf to give Saddam's military and scientific establishment a pounding. Already 325 American warplanes are standing by, and later this week a third U.S. aircraft carrier, with 50 more attack jets, will arrive. Six of the 25 warships on station are outfitted with Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can drive their warheads into targets 1,000 miles away...
...such attacks would not wipe out all of Iraq's hidden poisons and gases, because the U.S. does not know where they are. Nor are bombs likely to topple Saddam or force him to change his ways. The planes might blast their targets, but if Saddam still maintains his defiance, Clinton has to ponder what the next American move will be. In fact, decision makers in Washington are still wrestling with the possibility that Saddam actually wants the U.S. to attack. He could then lay out his corpses for television cameras, strike a victim's pose and fend off forever...
...does send in the planes, 71% of those polled believe it will be because it is in the best interest of the nation, not to divert attention from Washington scandals. The real gut check for Clinton would come if several days of bombing failed to change the fundamental equation. Saddam, his weapons of mass destruction and his Republican Guard would still be there. The U.S. could simply declare "mission accomplished" and stop. But Saddam could emerge to make a taunting speech, declare victory over the American aggressor and cut off all disarmament cooperation with the U.N. Would Clinton then...
...there is the chronic pain of the Middle East peace process. Arab leaders have no love for Saddam but they oppose dropping more bombs on Iraq because from their perspective, Clinton has a double standard. He relentlessly pursues Saddam's weapons of mass destruction while saying nothing about the atom bombs everyone assumes Israel has stashed in its basement. The Arabs believe Clinton is less likely now than ever to buck Congress and his own party by browbeating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into a deal...