While the French/German/Russian plan does seem a bit late in the day it does have some merit.
Proposal: given the reluctance of Iraq to co-operate fully with the inspectors, could the UN pass a new resolution insisting that the numbers of inspectors be significantly increased (perhaps 10 times as many rather than just 3 times) and that the inspectors be backed up and protected by a couple of thousand UN troops drawn from some proficient army other than the US or UK. Plus total freedom for UN backed spy plane missions anywhere over Iraq using aircraft from the US, UK and any other nations the UN sees fit. Perhaps the resolution could be extended to investigation into alleged human rights abuses by the Iraqi regime, offers of asylum etc.
In other words, is there any inspection regime that would be acceptable to the US/UK and satisfy the UN demand for demonstrable Iraqi disarmament and thereby delay the use of force.
Of course, such a proposal might be rejected by Saddam - in which case a war would be justified and all NATO members will be friends again. If he accepted, we could be sure of finding any WMD that he has and perhaps have the effect of undermining his regime indirectly.
I thought the plan had a lot of merit, practically forcing Saddam to accede to a quiet invasion. With thousands of UN troops in the country, his skies full of US planes, inspectors everywhere I’m not sure his regime could survive. He and his cronies would probably do a flit at some point.
It would certainly help locate any weapons and make it very difficult to continue with any program he has. And as an added bonus it would make tracking the swine down for a well aimed bomb, a whole lot easier. Or snatching him off to the War Crimes Tribunal.
To me it seems a damn tough alternative to war but one Saddam could be forced to swallow considering the alternative. And it is certainly worth trying before war.
I am not sure, but I think if the UN didn’t pass a second resolution, then Blair would back off in favour of that which tagos mentioned. Don’t know about Bush, though.
The U2 spy plane missions are going to happen anyways, regardless of the new French and German plan.
You say that:
Well, the UN has passed 19 resolutions regarding Iraq which have been ignored. Who says that if they pass another one it will be respected by Saddam? Especially one that is basically an invasion of his country?
If Saddam doesn’t agree to this, then is an invasion required to enforce it?
Bush cannot back down now, we’re going to have The War to Save Bush’s Face no matter what Saddam agrees to, no matter what damage that does to US standing in the world or anything.
And us Brits will be dragged yapping along behind.
Any such new UN resolution should have teeth: it needs to be in the form of an ultimatum - failure to promptly comply will mean war. This would have the advantage of piling on the pressure, bringing allies and nay-sayers together and not looking like any sort of climb down.
So, all the UN resolutions up until now have been toothless? Then why make them?
If the 20th resolution means business, and the other 19 that came before were a joke, how will Saddam, or anyone else know this? No one will have any respect for the UN if it continues to act this way.
The UN shouldn’t make any resolutions at all if it doesn’t intend to enforce them.
Sorry to be unclear: december slipped a post in there.
I was, or course responding to G. Cornelius when he said
Oh, and december, I assume that that is an onion - like article? It’s not serious is it? One cannot be too sure with those cheese-eating-surrender-monkey Frenchmen.
The French/German plan is nothing more than another stalling tactic. Hell, even Hans Blix says that the problem isn’t more inspectors - it’s lack of cooperation and active hiding of weapons.
The French/German plan is a quagmire. What, we’re going to permanently occupy Iraq? If there’s no change in heart from the Iraq regime, why wouldn’t Saddam just sit back, tell everyone as little as possible, and let the inspectors drive around for a few months? Even if they find half his weapons, he can just sit tight until they leave, and then re-arm.
